This week has been quite eventful.  On Monday, I arrived at church to discover that we had been broken into.  A window in the basement had been torn out at the hinge, one of our offices had been thoroughly ransacked, and things were taken.  I was impressed by the dedication of our young men who came as soon as they could manage to help in cleaning up and setting things back into order.  As we looked around the church, we discovered that God had protected us from further harm.  On Saturday, we had discovered that one of the power outlets in that same room wasn’t quite working, and relocated a number of electronics into my office.  These were thus safe from the thief’s discovery since my office was locked securely and beyond his reach.  And when we walked into the Sanctuary, we discovered it untouched and safe, and all the equipment that we depended on for our live-streaming remained unharassed.

My thoughts immediately went to the Lord’s caution about our treasures, “Store up treasures in heaven where thieves do not break in and steal.” (Matthew 6:19)  The treasures that we hold are of spiritual worth.  The destruction or pilfering of material things that thieves target are but an inconvenience, and we would do well to keep safely what we have been entrusted.  Yet, our eyes must be on spiritual treasures.  It is a good reminder that as we have been growing as a church, there is a thief called Satan whose intention is to kill, to steal and to destroy (John 10:10).  While we spend time wringing our hands about physical possessions, we often forget that which is of the greater worth – the spiritual health of our youth and children, the authenticity of our faith in an unbelieving world, and the power to overcome in a world wrecked by moral turmoil.  Having then been placed in our neighbourhood to be salt and light in a corrupted and darkened world, are we so surprised that we would be touched by evil?  By Monday evening, I settled tired into bed thinking of the day’s events.  Indeed, God brings reminders into our way to prompt us to trust Him.  A thief in the night gained entry into our church.  As we have been set on the pathway of repairing what was broken and securing what is important, we must do likewise to our spiritual house, and to go further – to bring the gospel to sinners, and bring about the transformation of souls to Jesus Christ so that “he who steals will steal no more” (Ephesians 4:28).