Here we are in the season of candy and costumes, tricks or treats, monsters and eerie music, and ghosts and goblins of all shapes and sizes. It’s the season of Halloween, a season that often highlights the more fear-filled side of life. A neighbor of ours has a yard full of inflatables; monsters, pumpkins, witches, and all sorts of creatures that would make our hair stand on end and bring out a fear response in the most stoic person, if they were real. In fact, those inflatables are real to our dog. She doesn’t like them much!
I would argue we don’t need a special holiday to draw attention to the reality of fear in our midst. Currently, it seems that heightened anxiety and elevated fearfulness is all around us, and maybe even within us because of various world and societal trends and realities. Maybe Halloween simply provides an opportunity to laugh at or have some fun with the subject of fearfulness in our world and lives, and that’s not all bad.
Yet, as people of faith living in an age of chaos and uncertainty, we have an important phrase to help us deal with the fear that touches our lives. It’s a simple four-word phrase. “Do not be afraid.” For those of us who claim the Christian faith, our Bible has the theme of not being afraid woven through its pages and stories. From the beginning in Genesis to the final story of Revelation, one can find the words, “Do not be afraid” stated over and over again. This statement, “Do not be afraid.” isn’t intended to be a “live in denial” type phrase, but rather it’s intent is to be a word of faith-filled hopefulness.
Probably the most well-known people in the Bible to hear the message “Do not be afraid!” is that of Mary and Joseph. Both received this message from a messenger of God, as the angel shared the plan of what God was about to do in the world for all humanity. Hearing this simple message didn’t erase all the uncertainty or doubts, or clear away all the problems that Mary and Joseph would face in the future. But the angel’s “Do not be afraid” message did communicate the hope-filled reality that God was at work in this situation and in their lives. I believe the same is true for each of us as we, like Mary and Joseph, seek to live faithfully in a world filled with uncertainty and chaos.
So, over the next few days as we enjoy the costumes that are paraded before us, as we smile and laugh at some of the “scary” things in our midst, may we also receive a message God has for us yet today, “Do not be afraid!” And as we receive this message for our lives, may we also hear the word of hope behind it. The simple message, “God is at work.” Even in the craziness and confusion of this world we live in, we can know and believe, God is at work! And because of this reality, fear does not have the final word in this world or in our lives! Remember…God is at work…which means God is with us! And that means fear doesn’t rule in our lives. This Halloween hear the message…Do not be afraid!
Serving Together,
Pastor Keith