Afraid of the Dark

 •  2 min. read  •  grade level: 7
 
Margaret was afraid of the dark! In the woods about their little log cabin were wolves and bears, but Margaret was not afraid of them. Often in times of danger Margaret was very brave, but still she was afraid of one thing —and that was the dark!
Margaret had not been afraid until she heard two gospel preachers who were warning those who met for meetings in the nearby schoolhouse, of the darkness of eternity without the Lord Jesus Christ. They told of the joy, light, and gladness of heaven; and they also told of the blackness of hell!
As Margaret listened a great fear grew in her heart. She began to dread going into a dark room, or looking out of a window in the night. Sometimes standing at the top of a stairway she would look down into the darkness below, and think to herself, "Hell is even darker than that! Oh!—how terrible it will be to spend all eternity in such darkness!"
Others did not understand Margaret’s fear of the dark, for they did not know that she was thinking beyond the darkness that she saw, to the blackness of hell.
One evening the preacher spoke from Matthew, chapter twenty-two, telling of the wedding feast, and the loving invitation, "All things are ready: come unto the marriage."
As she listened to the story and heard the excuses that one made after another she wondered just what excuse she would have to offer to God! Her heart answered that she had none!
Then when she heard of the one without the wedding garment on, that was cast out into outer darkness, it was almost more than she could bear. She knew that she, too, deserved to be cast out into that place of darkness, for she was still dressed in the filthy garment of her own sins in God’s sight.
Then the speaker reminded them of the Savior Who had borne the punishment of their sins, and was still calling in love, "All things are ready: come unto the marriage." "Him that cometh to Me I will in no wise cast out!" (John 6:37).
As the call of the two "Come’s" reached her heart, Margaret answered simply, "I come!"
Then what joy filled her heart as the old fear of darkness left forever. She knew the promise was true, "Him that cometh to Me I will in no wise cast out!" (John 6:37).