One day a mom was busy in the kitchen cooking supper. Both hands immersed in a mixing bowl, she called for help. "Terry, go into the pantry and get mommy a can of broth." From the next room a small voice was heard, "It's dark in there. I'm scared." Smiling to herself the mom replied, "It's OK. Jesus will be in there with you." Getting up slowly, the little girl walked into the kitchen and over to the pantry door. Opening it a crack she looked in . . . then said, "Jesus, if you're in there would you please hand me a can of broth?"

One day a mom was busy in the kitchen cooking supper. Both hands immersed in a mixing bowl, she called for help. Terry, go into the pantry and get mommy a can of broth. From the next room a small voice was heard, It's dark in there. I'm scared. Smiling to herself the mom replied, It's OK. Jesus will be in there with you. Getting up slowly, the little girl walked into the kitchen and over to the pantry door. Opening it a crack she looked in . . . then said, Jesus, if you're in there would you please hand me a can of broth?

Being afraid of the dark is a common human thing. It's the fear of not knowing what's waiting out there; fear of what might be waiting to jump out and grab you. For others it's more than that. National Institute of Mental Health stats say that for 11% of all people, the fear of darkness is a phobia (Achluophobia). Jesus spoke of another darkness, The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy your whole body will be full of light. But if your eyes are unhealthy your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness! Matthew 6:22-23. The darkness of which Jesus speaks surpasses all other darkness. It is unbelief. Sadly today the darkness of unbelief prevails increasingly in our world.

What do you believe will happen when you die? This question is a particularly great question; one that may help open the door to deeply held value and belief. These days more and more are responding by saying, I don't know. Others respond by answering, Nothing happens. When you're dead, you're dead. That's all there is. Jesus said, How great is that darkness! Those who don't 'know' Jesus by grace and faith are in spiritual darkness. In most certain terms they do not know what waits for them after they die.

The Bible tells us that all of us were born in the same boat; conceived in sin, dead to God and the world in our trespasses. Ephesians 2:1; Colossians 2:13. But in His great mercy God reached into the darkness by the incarnation of His Son, and you who were dead in your sin, God made alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, nailing it to the cross. Colossians 2:13-14. By His perfect life, suffering, death, and resurrection, Jesus has overcome the darkness. And so we no longer need be afraid of what is waiting for us when we die.

Dear Heavenly Father: Praise and thanks be to You for bringing your light to me; for drawing me out of the darkness to behold and be with you face to face forever. By your great power, fill me with Your Spirit and prepare me to speak this Good News to those yet living in darkness.

Pastor Kelly Mitteis