Psalm 66:16

Come and hear, all you who fear God.

    I will declare what he has done for my soul.

Lord, I remember when I was young

that I would jump at the shadows

that filled my room at night.

I remember that surge of adrenaline,

that tightness in my chest and throat.

I remember teddy bears

that grew to be monsters

and closet doors that could not hold back

the black, oozing, shadow-creatures.

Nothing, no light, no nightlight,

no puny token lighthouse

in the dark storm of night,

could drive those monsters away.

But then my mother told me,

as she pulled up the covers on my bed,

that there was something more

than just shadows in my room.

There were angels,

one there,

and one there,

and one over there,

one for each corner,

four more in the closet,

and one guarding

the bedroom door.

There were angels

to watch over me,

and there was You, Lord.

You were there, too.

I even made a space for You

next to me in my bed.

You were the only security

blanket I ever needed.

But now, even though I no

longer fear whatever monsters

may be lurking under my bed,

I find that I still need You.

For as long as there is night,

there will be shadows,

and as long as there are clouds,

there will be rain and storms.

I need You, Lord, still

to rescue me from my fears,

to light up my room not just at night,

but in all times when the darkness

clouds my vision and leaves me

to wander lost among my grief.

You are my light, Lord.

You are the light

I carry with me,

the light in my soul

that never flickers,

that never fades,

the light that obliterates

and shatters the darkness.

You are my Savior, my Rescuer,

my Holy Redeemer.

Amen.