The Benefits of Crime

As most all of you know, five weeks ago today one of our vehicles and our house were burglarized. We’re grateful for the encouragement you’ve given and the love you’ve shown to us in our small trial, and we want to thank you for that. But the main reason I’m bringing it up is to share with you TEN specific benefits the Lord has brought into our lives through this incident. (We’ll see how many weeks this takes!)

1.   We got a dog—an answer to the earnest prayers of five patient children! The boys have been saving their birthday money for a couple years, and finally, just last Friday, we got them a lab pup. Obviously, we could have benefited from a dog’s intimidating “Woof!” five weeks ago, but at least now we’ll be more patient with all the little side effects that come with our new home security system—vet bills, presents on the carpet, chewed table legs, etc.! 

2.   God has dealt with two idols in my heart of which I was previously unaware. The first is my false sense of security. The Psalms are littered with affirmations that God is our refuge, our strength, our help, and our fortress. But somewhere along the way, I had come to find security in our deadbolts, our situation in “safe suburban Parker,” and my precautious exercise of the Second Amendment. Nothing like someone stealing your shotgun to annihilate your fantasy of security! Is it prudent to lock your doors and keep your wallet out of sight? Sure. But ultimately, either God is my refuge and strength, or I have none. “God grants sleep to those he loves” (Ps 127:2).

(continued next week)