Yesterday, two men tried to break into our house while I was home. I had worked at my desk in the morning, so I didn’t shower until after lunch. I came out of the bathroom about 2:15. When I walked by the front door I noticed a four door pick-up truck parked on the circle drive right near the front door.
Thinking it was someone who had done some work around the house I stepped outside and walked toward the truck. A woman opened the back door of the vehicle. “Can I help you?” She stammered but didn’t answer me. About that time two young men hurried across the front yard from the back of the house. “Can I help you?” I directed toward the men. No answer. They kept heading toward the truck. So I repeated, “Can I help you?”
The driver paused by the door. “I was looking at your trees. I do tree work. Do you need any tree work?” I told him we lost a pine tree to beetles over the summer and had to have it cut down. In the process we also had deadwood trimmed from an oak tree. We didn’t need any “tree work,” but “thank you.” He climbed in the driver’s seat and backed out of my circle drive.
The whole encounter was odd. I momentarily wondered if I should call the police or try to get the license plate number, but I hurried inside and locked the door. When my husband came home about 5:30, he walked in asking “What happened to the glass in the door into the garage?” Immediately I knew that the “odd encounter” was really a burglary attempt.
We called the sheriff’s office to file a report. The deputy that came to the house was nice but impressed on me the seriousness of what happened. They had probably rung the doorbell while I was drying my hair and thought no one was home. The woman was the lookout and notified the two men when I came outside. The deputy believed they had no intention of hurting me, but he also gave me some tips for practicing safety.
I felt a bit scared, angry, and indignant all at the same time. But mostly I felt grateful. I’ve been thanking God all day for my safety. And in the midst of it all, God has reminded me that even if they had taken everything in our house, none of that is really important. It’s all just “earthly treasure.” It has no lasting, eternal value. I should hold those things loosely anyway. The things of God are what matters most.
19 “Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. 21 Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be. Matthew 6:19-21, NLT
What earthly things are you holding too tightly? How can you instead “store up treasures” in heaven?
Four baby barn swallows peered over the edge of the mud nest their mother had built on a wall in a corner of our patio. They were eagerly waiting for their mother to return with breakfast. I had a really good view of the feathered family from my bedroom window. From there I could watch all the activity without disturbing them. “This is going to be great,” I thought. “I can watch them grow, learn to fly, and then leave the nest.” It reminded me a little of my eighteen-year-old daughter who was preparing to move out on her own.
Right now I’m sitting at my kitchen counter in front of my laptop while the movers pack all our earthly belongings. (Let me just say, I admire all you hardy folks who do all the packing, loading, and moving on your own. But since this is a corporate transfer for my husband, I will take advantage of all the benefits. It’s hard enough this way, I can’t imagine doing it all ourselves!)
For instance, poised to enter the Promised Land, Moses reminded the Israelites of God’s care and provision during forty years of wandering in the wilderness (Deuteronomy 1 and 2). At the end of his life, Joshua pointed the people to their history, emphasizing God’s deliverance and protection so they would stay close to Him in their new surroundings (Joshua 24). In Acts chapter 7, Stephen, the first Christian martyr, used his last earthly moments to testify to God’s faithfulness in bringing about the New Covenant He promised. And we can’t forget the great Hall of Faith in Hebrews chapter 11. This long list of God’s people experienced His faithfulness in the most difficult of times.