Friday, October 28, 2011

Halloween part 2

Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die" (John 11:25-26).

In my previous devotion, I talked about how popular Halloween is, and some of the reasons why people enjoy it so much. Today we’ll hear what God has to say about the powers of darkness, and consider how we should react to their threat.

Halloween has become the time each year when we face darkness and evil head on. Usually people don’t like to think about death, let alone talk about it; but on Halloween, tomb stones become part of the scenery along with skeletons and zombies. Usually when we think of the dead, there is sorrow over a loved one who has left this world before we were ready to say goodbye; but on Halloween, ghosts become a source of amusement or cheap thrills. We fear death; Halloween is a time when we can look the Grim Reaper square in the eye and say, "I’m not afraid of you."

Of course, if Jesus is your friend, there is no reason to be afraid of death—ever. Death cannot finish you, because Jesus is stronger than death—He proved it on Easter when He rose from His own grave alive and healthy. Jesus will restore the joy of living to all His followers on the Last Day. The only ones who need fear death are those who don’t accept Jesus’ outstretched hand.

Halloween is also a time for make-believe. We dress up in costumes for a variety of reasons—to overcome shyness, to be the kind of person we’ve always wanted to be, or to explore our darker side. There are times when we get dissatisfied with our lives, and Halloween gives us the chance to play at being different.

But changing your life doesn’t have to be a fantasy. Jesus is always ready to help you find a better path. It starts with forgiveness. Whatever mistakes you’ve made, whatever opportunities you’ve missed, Jesus can forgive the bad choices you’ve made. He can help you overcome your bad habits and addictions. He can give you wisdom to see a better way of living your life. He can give you the courage to make a change, no matter how scary that change might seem. With Jesus’ help, you can start becoming the kind of person you never thought you could be.

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