Monsters....not just for Halloween!

Startled awake, my little heart pounded with the loud "THUD!" that came from the other side of my room.  I knew immediately what it was.  It was that dog gone attic door again!  I hated that attic, and I always wondered why me?  Why did it have to be in my room! Even in broad daylight this little attic (that stored an ordinary, hodge podge of items like Halloween costumes, out-grown clothes and old toys) was spooky; complete with a dank, musty smell, creepy, low ceiling and total lack of artificial light.  There were no hinges, latches or handles on this door; it was just a cut-out that fit like a puzzle piece into the entry of this eerie, monster lair.  An important door like this one missing all its valuable hardware was alarming to me.  It was an open invitation giving whatever monster that was living inside the attic attached to my room...easy and effortless access to eat me any time he wanted.   I pulled my blankets tight under my chin and with large eyes, I held my breath.  To scream or not to scream....that was the question!

 As I teetered back and forth as to which plan was best, I dared myself to sneak a peek to see exactly what pushed the door down.  Keeping my covers tight, I mustered up the courage to slowly lifted my head to assess my danger level.  In the dark, my eyes made out the even darker, large, open mouth of the attic which seemed to open wider the longer I stared at it.  I dared not to blink.  I was frozen in horrified anticipation for my monsters gnarled, slimy hand topped with sharp, jagged nails to wrap around the door frame so it could pull its over-sized, hunched-backed monster body out of its dungeon.  The suspense was killing me, the monster was taking so long that I thought, maybe, I missed him!  Maybe he's ALREADY out and is stealthily, slithering on the bedroom floor making his way to me!  Well, in that case...................."MOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!!!!!"  My voice penetrated the darkness like an alarm, making my heart pound even faster at the sudden realization that I've given given away my position to the monster that was undoubtedly making its way to me! My screams for my mom became louder and closer together until finally, my monster busting mom arrived, flipping my bedroom light on, filling my room with life saving light!

Most of us no longer struggle with fears of childhood monsters.  The monsters we fear are the ones we sinfully created ourselves.  Two of my nastiest monsters are viciously armed with forked tongues and dagger like tails; the monsters of jealousy and anger.  Skillet, a favorite christian rock band of mine, describes well how it feels to harbor monsters of sin:

I feel it deep within, it's just beneath the skin
I must confess that I feel like a monster
I hate what I've become, the nightmare's just begun
I must confess that I feel like a monster

My secret side I keep hid under lock and key
I keep it caged but I can't control it
'Cause if I let him out he'll tear me up, break me down
Why won't somebody come and save me from this, make it end?

Songwriters: Brown, Gavin; Cooper, John Landrum;("Monster", by Skillet)

On our own, the monsters we create, cannot be controlled or defeated.  They will, in real life as well as in Skillet's song, tear us up and break us down.  As a child, I didn't wait to ask the question "Why won't somebody come and save me from this, make it end?" I knew there was one person who could make it all better and all go away...I made a loud, persistent cry for my mom!  My adult monsters should be treated no differently.  A cry to my Savior is all that is needed for Him to come repel the darkness and shine His light (I John 1:5)!  With my monsters illuminated for Jesus to see, we can now fix my "attic" door and put the proper hardware back on; the hinges of unceasing prayer (I Thessalonians 5:17 ) and a shiny, new door knob bearing a strong lock of proper thoughts (Philippians 4:8); making monster reentry a little more difficult!

As Jesus and I battle my grown up monsters, my childhood attic monster still needs some help.  Kris has taken over Mom's job of coming to my rescue with the light and as a precaution, I still sleep with my blankets tucked tightly under my chin.... just in case that monster of my attic decides to finally show up!