Halloween: Darkness vs Light

The shadows lengthen, and our country prepares for the revelry of Halloween.

The staff of Hopkins Financial feel compelled to offer a reflection on the meaning this day has taken in our culture. Once a season of harvest and reflection, Halloween now openly celebrates darkness, fear, and the grotesque. You need only walk into a store like Walmartduring this season to see the twisted things that now mark its observance. From decorations that glorify death to images that revel in the grotesque, Halloween has become a celebration of what is disturbing and distorted.

But in a world that delights in the twisted, we stand for Someone far greater...

Christ!

Philippians 4:8 reminds us,

"Whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things."

These are the things we are to fill our hearts and minds with--not the creeping shadows of the world's obsession with darkness. We stand for purity, for what is noble...for what brings Life.

It is important to recognise that the enemy, Satan, cannot create anything in and of himself. Instead, his work distorts and twists what God has made and done. What we see in Halloween today is not something truly original, but a perversion of the good gifts of life, light, and purity. Satan has twisted what is pure into something grotesque, what is noble into something corrupted. This leads many to celebrate what is morbid and fearful. Since God's creation is a reflection of Himself, to distort it in such a wayis ultimately an attack on His character--and we will have none of it.

The deeper truth is that everything we long for is found in the person of Jesus Christ, God's Son.

All that is beautiful and virtuous find their origin in Him. Jesus declares in John 14:6,

"I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life; no man cometh unto the Father but by me."

To celebrate anything that twists or distorts these qualities is not a harmless act, but a participation in the ememy's rebellion against God. It is to join that prideful, age-old lie that whispers, "I know better than God," echoing Satan's own mind in Isaiah 14:13.

But, while the world indulges in images of death and fear, we rejoice in the Truth that Christ has conquered death once and for all! Jesus declared,

"I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life." (John 18:12, KJV)

This Light is not fleeting, nor does it fade with the passing of seasons. It is eternal, piercing the deepest darkness, and bringing hope to all who believe on Him and His finished work on the cross. We need not fear the things Halloween glorifies, for we know that Christ has triumphed over death.

The team of Hopkins Financial chooses to fix our eyes on the things that matter eternally--things that are true, excellent, praiseworthy. We do not dwell on that which is dark, frightneing, or grotesque. Instead, we celebrate the Life and Light we have in Christ. Our focus is not what we stand against, but Who we stand for.

Our focus is not on who we stand against, but who we stand for.

The Truth is this: Light has overcome darkness; Life has overcome death; Christ has overcome the world.

Yes, Truth may be defied, but it cannot be defeated. One day, all will bow to it. Phillipians 2:10-11 says,

"That at the name of Jesus, every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father."

Amen! The power of Christ's victory over evil is absolute! It is in this victory that we rest and place our hope.

As Halloween approaches, we invite you to join us in reflecting on what truly matters. While our nation fixates on fear and celebrates what is twisted, we fix our hearts on what is lovely, pure, and worthy of praise. As we do, let us turn to the Lord in prayer. Let us lift up our voices in thanksgiving to Jesus Christ for His finished work on the cross. Let us pray for those who are ensnared by the false promises of this world.

Pray that all men would have their eyes opened, that they would turn from darkness to the Light of Jesus, and that they too would know the joy of walking in Truth.