Into Darkness

This morning as I was walking I was a little freaked out. It was really dark...I mean black dark. This Sunday the time will be set forward and it won't be quite as dark when I walk...but this morning...I was a little freaked. I was thinking about that Springsteen song "Darkness on the Edge of Town."
Now don't get me wrong, it's not like I'm walking through the wilds and all of the nocturnal killing animals are lurking in wait for me. I mean I am walking on lighted streets through my neighborhood.
But there is that one section. It is where the lighted streets end and the new neighborhood is not quite done. There are light poles...but no light. It was a really a really weird moment...I was...scared for just a moment. I was surprised that I was scared...it must be because I am 53 now...when I was young I wouldn't have hesitated one second. But today...for just that moment...I was afraid of the dark. It troubled me...am I getting soft...er.
On the rest of the walk, I kept mulling this over in my mind...you know...meditating about this. In my hu-MAN-ity, I think I should not be afraid of the darkness. It calls into question my manhoodness. I don't like it. I can over come anything.
But in my spirit...I think I should be afraid of the darkness. Maybe what we call fear is actually the Spirit's voice saying "don't go in there." It's like when you go to a scary movie and someone invariably shouts out "don't go in there fool." Darkness always represents danger throughout the Scriptures...it is danger...and ultimately death. The Spirit says stop, slow down, danger is approaching...and yet I rarely even pause. I go blasting into the darkness....and then I realize...I forgot to bring the Light with me. Now thankfully...the Light always goes with me. But in those moments when the Spirit is speaking...do I listen...or do I trust my instincts?
A healthy fear of the dark would do us all some good.