“The Lord is my light and my salvation”

The story is told of a little boy who had to walk every evening past a dark, spooky house on the way home. He could not see past the fence – it was pitch black – and he just knew something would jump out at him.

An insensitive friend gave him a stick and said, “Be a man,and stop being a wimp.” Neither his words nor the stick quenched the boy’s fears.

A superstitious friend handed him a rabbit’s foot and told him,“Have this in your pocket as you go past the house and you will be protected from hurt and evil.” This made the boy even more frightened. The rabbit, whose foot this was, obviously, wasn’t very lucky. He was hopping around somewhere on three feet.

A religious friend proclaimed, “It’s a sin to be afraid. Trust God and be brave.” The advice was good but he offered nothing more. This made matters worse for the boy. Now he had an insufficient weapon, an insufficient faith - and according to his friend, he was a frightened sinner.

Then a Christian friend said, with compassion, “I know what it’s like to be afraid. I will walk with you past the house.” He did nothing to remove the fear – he simply took it off the boy and placed it on his self.

Christ Jesus has done the same with our burdens; with our trials; with our fears; with our sins. He took them off us and placed them on His self. “Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows” (Isaiah 53:4). Will you let him escort you through life’s dark paths? Will you trust Him to be your “light and salvation” in the year 2016? He is more than able. What a mighty God we serve!