September 2, 2025 Devo

Have you ever been afraid of the dark? Most of us have. Especially late at night after watching a scary show! We’re smart enough to know that it was just a movie, and that a monster with claw hands really isn’t outside looking for a way to get in. But sometimes we’re afraid anyway. What if there’s SOMETHING out there?
That’s at the heart of what fear is all about. Fear isn’t really as much about what we see. It’s what we DON’T SEE. Fear doesn’t paralyze us by the things that we know nearly as much as by the things we DON’T KNOW. It’s the “what if’s” that cause our hearts to pound and our blood pressure to rise, not the “what is.” Think about it. Losing your job isn’t nearly as terrifying as FEARING you’re going to lose your job. Your girlfriend breaking up with you isn’t nearly as nerve-wracking as FEELING like she’s going to. Dealing with the news from the doctor doesn’t create as much anxiety for us as WONDERING what that news is going to be. Once we SEE and once we KNOW, we can deal with it. It’s when we’re in the dark about it that our imaginations run wild and the terror sets in.
So why in the world would the psalmist tell us to “not be afraid of the terrors of the night?” Because he knows something we forget. God can see in the dark! God can see clearly what we cannot see. God knows fully and completely that which we know nothing about. He not only sees where this job is going, He knows about the NEXT JOB that’s coming. He not only sees what’s going on with that insecure relationship, He knows who it is we really need in our lives. He not only has a full diagnosis of what that medical issue is all about, He’s your Healer and holds your very life in His Hands.
The dark is not dark to God. He is not surprised, not caught off-guard, and not ever found unprepared. So, if you find yourself “in the dark” today, put your trust in the Lord. He’s right there in the dark with you. He’s bigger than whatever imaginary Freddy Krueger you have in your mind. He’s capable of handling your job, navigating you through your relationships, and taking care of those medical issues. You don’t have to be afraid of the terrors of the night because The Light is right beside you. Put your trust in Him. Give Him your fears. Give Him all your anxiety about the future and all of its troubles. You can lie down and rest tonight because God is keeping watch for you. And He can see in the dark. That’s God’s Word for you today.