Fear...fascinating

The lines are beginning to form.... people will queue up for hours to walk through any number of Halloween Houses. I am amazed at the number of people who willingly subject themselves to situations that are intended to scare the bejeebers (did you know this is a derivative of "By Jesus") out of them. The Haunted House, Bloodview and Haunted Forest bill boards and posters litter the roadsides. Fright House ads pop up throughout the media. Many October fundraisers and fellowship events are orchestrated around terror...all in the name of fun, of course.

I wonder about fear and its double edge of fascination and flight. Why are these Halloween attractions so compelling?

Why are there times when some people consider it fun to be jolted or shocked?
It may have something to do with a human desire to experience extremes of adrenaline rush. There seems to be a fascination with ramping up to terror, as long as one can be assured that there is an end to the experience...you get to the end of the hallway or path and walk into a crowd of fellow fear seekers who are all giggling about how awesome the fright was. All of that emotion and intensity... all of that energy flowing through humans...to what end?

Then there are the other times when we scurry to defend ourselves from situations that expose our vulnerability...or that diminish our power or sense of control. Many of the same people who willingly walk dark paths where ghouls and gremlins grasp at them will do anything to discount the counsel to move in and with "fear of the Lord" (Psalm 111:10)

Scripture invites us to this holy fear which is inherent in the relationship between people and God. It is nothing like the self-indulgent or flippant type of fear that is created and managed by props, makeup, horror or artifice. It is the inescapable sense of awe generated by the experience of being in the presence of immensity and power beyond human capability. Scripture tells us that there is an end to that hallway as well.... it is the promise of greater understanding of God's wisdom and love.

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom and understanding... because it places human potential in perspective. In this context, fear marks the entry point where creature meets the loving creator, revealed through Christ,who casts out all darkness and fear.

Will you line up for that?