Where Fears Arise

~Death Waits In The Dark~

The insignia of the Armys 160th Special Operations Regiment

"People sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf"

~George Orwell~

1In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 2The earth was without form, and void; and darkness awas on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. 3Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light. 4And God saw the light, that it was good; and God divided the light from the darkness. 5God called the light Day, and the darkness He called Night. bSo the evening and the morning were the first day.
Genesis 1: 1 - 5 NKJV

There is an old saying among us that it is always darkest before the dawn.  Of course, everyone knows that unless you're in Alaska in that certain time of year, that our days are sepeated by light and darkness.  As with the rest of creation, this came into being by Gods spoken word.  However, this is not why we feel that it is always darkest before the dawn.  For it is in these hours of twilight, when the hours of the day wane that we are most often to feel experience anxiety or fear.  Yes, many feel fear in the daylight hours also, but there is something about the darkness of night that encourages our fears.  Many admit to being afraid of the dark when they were younger, I'm on of them.  The dark of night, it seems, brings the unknown and unexpected to the doorstep of our thoughts.  Is it any wonder that horror movies are most often shown on tv late at night?  It is if we expect that suddenly our Lord has turned out the lights and gone to sleep.  Nothing could be further from the truth.  Scripture tells us that God saw the light which he spoke into creation, and that "It was good."  How, then, can we associate something which our heavenly Father has created and declared good with our deepest fears.  I believe I know that answer to that.  See, with darkness comes the unknown and the unexpected.  That dark, abandoned house down the road looks more terrifying at night simply because we know not what is inside, but also because it's dark outside.  Fear grows and perpetuates in darkness, for with darkness comes the unknown.  However, as I have found out, many of the fears which I have had of the darkness of night have over time become unfounded.  Of course, that doesn't stop the occasional twinge of fear from rearing its ugly head in the night.

7For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.
2 Timothy 1: 7 NKJV

The United States Armys 160th Special Operations Regiment has a unique and special mission.  This unit was created in the aftermath of Operation Eagle Claw, the failed United States rescue mission of Iranian hostages in 1980.  As American equipment lay burning in the Iranian desert, president Jimmy Carter the military to determine what went wrong.  As a result, the concept of a new aviation unit was born.  These are not your normal soldiers by any means, for their primary mission specialty is night combat.  Their motto "Death waits in the dark" testifies to the special mission for which these men are tasked.  With the advent of new night vision equipment, these special operations soldiers truly own the night.  It is ironic that these men wait to bring the fear of darkness upon those who would oppose our nation.  For not only do they fight with conventional weapons and aircraft, but they simply play on those deepest fears of darkness which many have experienced.  For those who choose combat with the United States, the cover of darkness is no longer a protection.  As believers, we ourselves have assurance that darkness shall not be a time of fear and anxiety for us.  In 2 Timothy, the apostle Paul assures us that our fears are not of God.  For our heavenly Father has not given His children a spirit of fear, but of love and a sound mind.  Indeed, our Lords spoken word has created that darkness which we so often find as a basis for our fears.  As with the rest of His creation, He has declared it good.

~Scott~