Halloween

 October 31, 2024

Tonight I want to do honor to All Hallow’s Eve, otherwise known as Halloween. Unless you live under a rock, you know that this day generates all sorts of comments and responses from Christians. Is it Satanic as some say, or merely a night of mischief? I used to think the latter, but it does seem to get darker every year. But that’s not what’s on my mind. Here’s what I’m thinking:

Why do we have a holiday that celebrates the macabre, that honors the dark, ghoulish, and nightmarish things in life? Why are there so many costumes of witches, goblins, zombies and such? Have you ever heard of anyone wearing a costume of a saint? Why are Halloween movies such a bloody, gory wallowing in evil? Here’s what I think: We have no trouble imagining evil, but much difficulty imagining the good. Among other things, our imagination has been hijacked by sin. The Bible recognizes this almost from the beginning. Just before Noah’s flood we read,

“Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.” —Genesis 6:5 

This theme is repeated throughout the Bible; fourteen times it reminds us that the imagination of our hearts is consistently evil. It is easier to imagine evil than good. But in Jesus Christ we are to have a new heart, as Ezekiel says:

“I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.” —Ezekiel 36:26 

This Halloween, instead of taking the easy way out by imagining the dark, give your new heart in Christ freedom to imagine the breadth of his love, the glories of heaven, and the wonder of his salvation.