Daily Devotions - Halloween
Halloween can be a polarizing topic for Christians. The collection of Devotions offered here reflect the opinions of the various Christian authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Christian Broadcasting Network.
~
But the LORD said to Samuel, "... The LORD doesn't see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart." 1 Samuel 16:7
With a hammer in one hand and a large scroll under his arm, Martin Luther approached the Castle Church in Wittenberg, Germany. He paused to take a couple of nails from a pouch hidden in the folds of his dark woolen habit then began pounding his 95 theses to the church's heavy wooden doors. The date was October 31, 1517 and the event changed the course of human history.
While our little ones dip into that candy, the sweetest thing we can unwrap for them is the lesson to speak the truth. The trick is to obey God's Word and the treat is the image reflected in the mirror that sparkles with honesty.
Let's face it, whether you celebrate Halloween or not, this time of year everyone's attention tends towards the spooky, creepy, and downright scary.
Each year, the question remains, "Do we go with our children or stay home? Should we shut the door or open it and be a witness?" I guess the choices are up to the individuals. Yet, we must never forget to pray for the children.
In this season of the fall harvest when pumpkins seem to spring up everywhere, I think about those days of innocence, those days when our biggest concern was the frost on the pumpkin.
Deep, deep down, if we're truly honest with ourselves, we all grew up with a dream of being a prince or princess, hero or heroine: men who fight for justice and protect the innocent, and women who long to be cherished and loved. But somewhere down the road, we put on the masks, trying desperately to fit into a world that no longer resembles the one God intended for us.
Scary faces and carved out jack-o-lanterns once again invade our senses with their invitation to join in the celebration of the dark realm. But you know what I've realized? We don't have to participate in the world's invitation to its annual Halloween party.
Halloween's origins go back to the festival of Samhain, celebrated by the Celts in ancient Britain and Ireland on the evening before All Saints Day. They believed the souls of the dead returned to visit their earthly homes on November 1.
Lately, the spiders in my neighborhood have gotten out of control. First of all, they're the size of silver dollars, and they're everywhere! Just in time for Halloween, I suppose. You don't see them much during the day, but they're often hanging out at night and in the wee hours of the morning. Frankly, they creep me out.
Do we stay home or go out? Do we open the door or turn the lights out? I think it is the perfect night for witnessing. I sure won't hide in the dark. I carry the light of Jesus and I want to boldly get out there.
What I had to ask myself was this—what are we celebrating when we celebrate Halloween? When you look past the cute kiddie costumes and the tons of candy, isn't it really all about fear, darkness, and death? As Christians, shouldn't our focus be on hope, light, and the eternal life that is available through Christ Jesus our Lord?
|
|