I have always had a fascination with the supernatural. The long-gone TV show about vampires, Dark Shadows, was strictly forbidden during my elementary-school years, so naturally I watched it as often as possible. If we could get our hands on a Ouija board, I’m sorry to say my teenaged friends and I dabbled with that questionable activity. Even as an adult, I visited “psychics” a handful of times and had my Tarot cards read.
It’s easy to see that “supernatural” meant darkness to me. It meant ghosts (not the heavenly kind), forbidden endeavors, an unseen presence that was frightening and yet intriguing. Like countless other people, I felt that maybe this was the way to see into the future and have truths about my life revealed to me.
I didn’t know, as I do now, that the most fascinating supernatural experience of all is the one we have with Jesus Christ. The first time I visited the church that I now call home, the word supernatural was used. My initial reaction was startled. Saying supernatural? In church? What was going on? It didn’t take long to realize that the term “supernatural” applied beautifully to the worship and personal prayer experience.
By reading the Bible and meditating on the Word of God, there was an unending supply of supernatural power available to me and to everyone. I understood for the first time that there are powerful forces all around us: the tremendous power of Jesus, who is ready to work on my behalf at any time. All I have to do is ask. And yes, there are also dark forces at work. I am squarely in the camp that knows that if we believe in the light of Jesus, we have to also believe in the dark of the enemy. He is real, and he wants a piece of us. It’s as frightening a reality as any scary movie.
But the happy ending is ours for the asking. I know, beyond a shadow of a doubt (or a dark shadow of a doubt) that my life turned around as soon as I handed my life over to Jesus. I understand that I’m not guaranteed a hall pass from pain, suffering and ill treatment. But I know that the supernatural power of Jesus is better than any psychic reading or Ouija board at revealing the beauty of the world we live in and my place in it.
When my pastor says, “Let’s get ready for a supernatural experience today,” I know exactly what he means.
Lucia Paul is a regular humor contributor to numerous online publications including Midlife Boulevard and The Erma Bombeck Writers website, on topics ranging from the financial crisis to parenting teens. Her writing is in multiple anthologies including Not Your Mother’s Book…on Being A Mom, and Not Your Mother’s Book…on Home Improvement. She finds joy in her faith and is inspired to bring some laughter to the world. Find her at dysfunctionalscrapbooking.blogspot.com and Twitter @DFscrapbook.
