October 15, 2023
Some forty years ago, I went into a McDonald’s restaurant in El Toro, California to eat lunch. When I returned to my car, I noticed the rear driver’s side door wasn’t totally closed, so not thinking anything of it, I closed the door and returned to my office which was in our church building. Upon arriving at the building, I reached into the back seat of the car to retrieve my Bible and I realized it wasn’t there. The reason why the rear door of my car wasn’t closed is because while I was eating lunch, some one opened the door of my car and stole my Bible! Nothing else was missing. My briefcase (yes, I carried a briefcase way back when) was still right there next to my cassette tape collection (yes, I am old). I thought four thoughts simultaneously: First, it struck me as odd that someone would steal my Bible and just my Bible. Second, I hoped that since they took the time to steal it, they would take the time to read it. Third, I hoped they would read the “thou shalt not steal” part and then read how to get saved. Finally, I thought I really should start locking my car doors when leaving the car! I wrote all of that to make this point. Don’t you just hate a thief? I mean, for someone to take something that belongs to you is not only mean, but it also makes you feel violated doesn’t it. There are so many kinds of thieves. There are car thieves and bank robbers. There are burglars and pickpockets. There are brazen thieves and then there are sneaky thieves. Do you know the thief that is sneakiest of them of all? The sneakiest thief is the thief that steals your time. After all, when it was all said and done, when I realized my Bible was missing, I simply went out and bought another one. However, when something or someone steals my time, I can’t get that time back. Time is something we all have in a limited quantity. Do you know something else? The older we get, the less sand we have left in our hourglass. Let’s make a renewed effort to use our time wisely. Jesus tells us in John 9:4 “I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work.” I am fifty-nine years old, and I realize no matter how much time I might have left, I am beginning to see the sun go down on my life, so let’s be on the lookout for time thieves. They will steal our time before we know it and we can’t get that time back.
Be blessed and then go be a blessing . . . Bro. Andy
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