Things That Go Bump In The Night

The darkness was thick with dread, and around each corner lay an evil spirit. One must beware of “things that go bump in the night.” Halloween, or as Hulu put it “Huluween,” has come and gone for another year. Little children dressing up as favorite characters (or rather their parents’), going from house to house, extorting from their poor neighbors, candy on penalty of tricks. Sounds all so goulash to me. No one came to our house, though Rebecca had prepared just in case. Living right outside of town, on a dead end (pun not intended), was a prohibiting factor. 

The darkness is frieghtening, and the rush of adrenaline from childhood stories or trickster friends can be exhilarating. We both loathe and relish those moments when someone jumps out of the corner and scares us, as long as it is not meant for harm. What I think is the greater deception than Halloween, is the the whole quote of “things that go bump in the night.

This expression comes from The Cornish or West Country Litany : ‘From ghoulies and ghosties and long-leggety beasties and things that go bump in the night, Good Lord deliver us!’ Like the little boy who preferred his mother over prayer to shield him against things that go bump in the night, I too, prefer "God with the skin on.”

Do we prefer the comfort of the flesh over the comfort of God? Where do we go, and what do we prefer, when things go bump in the night. It doesn’t have to be the creatures under our bed that dredges up fear. It could be the fear of a boss, or the IRS, or losing a loved one that cause the hair on the back of our neck to stand on end and tingle. Like the little boy we would prefer God with skin. And there again our gracious God provides in two ways.

First, the gospel of John said, “in the beginning was the word, and the word was with God, and the word was God... and the word became flesh and dwelt among us.” God became flesh to identify with us, and to deal with the evil that brings fear into our lives, sin and darkness. Jesus is the light of the world and darkness flees in his presence. But in the flesh Jesus could only be in one place at a time, so he returned to the father and sent the Holy Spirit. Now God dwells in every believer, to be comforted and to give comfort.

Secondly, God has provided us skin to give comfort and hope to the lost and hurting of the world. As his body, we bring the name of Jesus to bear against the fear mongers, the haters, the contentious among us. It is God’s love that drives out fear, because in his love he has conquered sin and death. 

“From ghoulies and ghosties and long-leggety beasties and things that go bump in the night, Good Lord thank you for delivering us!” I’m Just Saying...