By
Dana Rausch
/ June 30, 2014
Walking up the stairs shaking in fear, I saw the police officer at our apartment door. Entering, I heard more officers but my eye went straight to the splatter of blood on our white curtains. Glancing in the kitchen I saw a butcher knife sticking straight up from a closed drawer. Horrified that someone had been in our home, I silently wept.
To deal with the chaos and confusion, my mother sent me and my younger sister to our bedroom, for it had been untouched. With heads bowed, we walked by the uniformed men standing in the living room. Reaching the door, we bounded into bed and huddled together on the bottom bunk. We were sure the robber was either under the bed or in our closet. Our 10 and 11 year old minds went into to overdrive and we shook in sheer terror. Someone had broken into our apartment and opened drawers spilling out the contents. They rummaged through our personal belongings, as if they had no value. Looking for something they could take. Although I had no idea what articles had been stolen, I knew I had been robbed of security.
THAT WAS OVER FORTY YEARS AGO.
Yet, today I feel I’ve been plundered. Plundered means to be wrongfully emptied and stripped of something valuable; something taken by force, theft or fraud by someone who feels they have the right.
Although I cannot identify any items stolen, I’ve been robbed again of security.
However, I am no longer that 11 year old.
· I have a voice.
· I can take action.
· I will make changes.
The most compelling difference this time is what my security lies in. As a child it was in my parents. Now, it is in the Lord.
Oh, I know I have an enemy and John 10:10 calls him a thief. His mission is to steal, kill and destroy. I am quite familiar with him. I have allowed him to scare me so I ran the other way in fear. I’ve let him steal my dreams while I listened to his lies. I gave him free reign to plunder my thoughts.
BUT THAT WAS THEN AND THIS IS NOW.
Psalm 73:28 says, “But as for me, it is good to be near God. I have made the Sovereign Lord my refuge; I will tell of all your deeds.”
· I have a voice to speak of God’s goodness,
· I can take action of being near to God,
· I will make the Sovereign Lord my refuge.
I am so thankful that hope, confidence and God’s love cannot be stolen, plundered or taken. Aren’t you?