Spooky Season

So we say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. Hebrews 13:6a 

It’s spooky season! Halloween decorations are out, lock screens are ghostly, and candy is brimming in the aisles. October means scary movies, carved pumpkins, hay rides, and haunted houses. I have vivid memories of going though haunted houses as a child. I was always terrified in anticipation, scared out of my wits and screaming at the top of my lungs walking through, and then laughing and relieved as I got out safe and sound! There is something about being scared that people savor but only when safety is assured and the outcome is known.  

With all the unrest in the world, it’s a different kind of spooky season. In this challenging time of global unrest, safety is not assured and the outcome is undetermined. Looming global war, violent weather patterns, an unstable finance sector, and sky-high inflation make a scary scenario. We all deal with fear in different ways, and it can be shown through a myriad of expressions like anxiety, withdrawal, anger, or denial. These fears are played out in big ways like mass shootings and road rage, and in smaller ways like rudeness and selfishness.  

Although it’s fun to be a little scared in the Halloween season, it is very disturbing to be in fear of life and security. These are the times that we must lean on the Lord, trusting that the Lord is our promised helper, so we are not afraid. Our faith comes into play as we pray for patience, wisdom, and strength. Jesus tells us more than anything else, Do not be afraid. He gives us a spirit of confidence, hope, and joy in all things. As Ecclesiastes says, there is a season for everything. Spooky season is temporary, but faith is forever. We shall not be afraid. Now is the time for us band together in faith and love facing our fears by taking up the shield of faith with confidence and preaching the gospel of peace in our words and actions.

Amen, Pastor Andrea