” We don’t have to be afraid of the dark.  Jesus is the Light of the world.”

I wish I understood this truth as a child.  At bedtime, I’d stare into the pitch of my closet and wonder what creatures lurked inside. But the dark couldn’t fool my big sister Gail. She assured me the blue dress hanging in my closet had not become the boogie man.

To empty my mind of dark visions, Gail would tell me a story about Candyland. Images of lollipop flowers and chocolate malted mountains took me far away from the closet’s doom. Even after Gail left for college, her stories stayed with me. The darkness lost its power. Gail taught me well.

But long before the closet of my childhood fears, Christ’s disciples’ nightmare became real. When they saw Jesus arrested, beaten and nailed to the cross, it must have seemed like a cruel way to save the world.

As they grieved before His resurrection, I wondered if they recounted the Savior’s teachings. His words were not a fairy tale. Surely, He taught them well:

In John 16:33, “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

FEAR NOT.

In John 14:16, “And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you.”

LEAN HARD.

In Matthew 10:11, “Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it.”

YIELD COMPLETELY.

When life looks dark, I pray His Word will expose what’s playing tricks on our minds. May His words resonate deeply until we know He overcame our problems. Deep enough to know we have an Advocate. Deep enough to trust our losses will encounter His glory.

I want to rest in the arms of my Savior and not resort to my own limitations. As the Light, He pierces and shatters the darkness, giving us hope for the heart and joy to the soul.

“Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, “I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.” – John 8:12 NLT

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The winner of the book Fearless by Max Lucado is Sabrina Roberts. 
Congratulations Sabrina!