I was afraid!
I was very afraid!
It seems to me that this is the second time I remember being afraid in my young life. The first time, well, that’s another story for another day.
When I was young, we had neighbors who lived in a little white, wooden house next door. They must have been very patient.
One afternoon the neighbors had slaughtered a pig. They had a huge, black metal kettle over a red, hot fire in their backyard. Of course, I was drawn to it. I had to see what was going on. They welcomed me and showed me the boiling oil in the kettle warning me not to get too close. They were making cracklings. I knew those went in mama’s delicious corn bread sometimes, so I got the idea.
Everyone was talking and laughing as they put the fat and skin in the oil and then when done, they dipped the cracklings out to drain. It got later and later, and I realized i was going to get in trouble for staying out so long.
As I turned to leave the fire and folks, i said goodbye, and seemed to hear something in the bushes around their house.
I began to hurry home across their yard. Bursting from the dark big, black dogs began to chase me! They were barking loudly and swinging their heads side to side and their long legs gained on me as I ran.
The grass was wet with dew, and my bare feet slid around as I tore through the dark to the safety of my house and the front porch with the light shining yellow and bright.
My heart was beating out of my chest. I was in danger.
The Bible tells us about the light of God and the darkness of sin and satan. John 8:12 tells us Jesus said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
Ephesians 4:18 says about people in sin who don’t turn to God: ‘ “They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts.”
Have you ever been lost in the dark?
You can be lost in spiritual darkness, but you can come to the light of Christ and find peace, safety, forgiveness, and a relationship with Him.
“To open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.” Acts 26:18
We should be afraid of the dark—-spiritual darkness and what it leads to.
