"A Father's Love and The Dark"
By: Michael J. Jackson
The little boy was very afraid of the dark. So afraid, in fact, that he just couldn't go to sleep no matter how hard he tried. He imagined that horrible things were just out of sight waiting for him in the darkness. His father understood his child's fear, he remembered having the same fears of the dark when he was his son's age. The father entered his son's room, sat on the edge of the bed, and gently explained that the darkness would only last until the morning, when the sun would again brighten the day.
The little boy was beside himself with fear, how could his father say that, when the boy just knew that the horrible things would get to him when the light was gone? The father knew how frightened his child was. He made a promise to his son. He promised that no matter how long the darkness lasted, he would stay right there by the child's side until sleep came to bring peace to the little boy's night.
The child thought about this promise, and asked his father how he would know that he wasn't alone in the darkness. The father answered, "I will hold your hand in mine, Son. When you feel afraid in the darkness, hold tightly to my hand and you'll know that you are not alone."
"But, what if I let go of your hand? What if I can't find you in the dark?" the frightened little boy asked. The father lovingly answered his child, "I will never let go of your hand, Son, I will never leave you alone in the darkness. I will always be right here with you."
Since his father had never broken a promise to him, the little boy snuggled down into his covers and put his hand into his father's. He watched as his father reached over and turned out the light. The darkness came, and with it came the fear of the things that the boy imagined were waiting for him there. But this time, in the darkness, he felt the reassuring grasp of his father's hand, the brush of his father's lips across his forehead, and the echo of his father's promise in his mind, "I will never let go... never let go... never alone... never alone..."
Many years later, the little boy became a father himself. His little girl was very afraid of the dark. So afraid, in fact, that she just couldn't go to sleep no matter how hard she tried. She imagined that horrible things were just out of sight waiting for her in the darkness. Her father understood, and he made her a promise...
I was very afraid of the darkness, too, and thought that I would die from the pain and loneliness. But our Heavenly Father made us a promise that because of His great love for us, He would never leave us or abandon us to the darkness (Hebrews 13:5b). I know a little about how you must be feeling. But more importantly, God understands all of your fears, and He really does care. You just need to hold onto His hand...
Mike - http://www.melas.org
Augusta, GA USA
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