Greg Johnstone yawned and stretched. The morning sun shining through his window had wakened him after a good night’s sleep, and now he was ready to get up and go to work.
Suddenly, he noticed something and jumped out of bed. Something was wrong! His clothes were not neatly folded as he had left them. In fact, some of them weren’t even there. He hurried from room to room, checking to see if anything else was gone. Sure enough, his watch, his wallet and several other small, valuable items were gone. Greg knew that he had carefully locked the doors before he went to bed, and he did not see how anyone could have gotten in. Continuing his search, he found that one of the windows at the back of the house had been broken. He also noticed that there was blood on the glass. Looking more closely, he found spots of blood in the different rooms where the thief had been.
Greg called the police who came quickly. He showed them the broken glass and the blood, and told them about the things that had been stolen. Then he showed them the trail of blood on the driveway.
Two of the policemen set off together to follow the trail of blood. They followed the drops up the steps of a house to a side door. The policemen knocked loudly on the door, called several times, and finally pushed the door open and went in. Inside they found a man with a bandaged hand. The policemen questioned the man, but he claimed he knew nothing about any robbery. Noticing a large bag under a bed, the officers pulled it out and opened it. There was Greg’s watch, his wallet and all the other things that had been stolen from his home. The thief had been discovered!
I doubt that you have ever broken a window and stolen from anyone. But you don’t have to be a thief to be a sinner. God tells us in Romans 3:2323For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; (Romans 3:23) that “all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” He also says, “Be sure your sin will find you out” (Numbers 32:2323But if ye will not do so, behold, ye have sinned against the Lord: and be sure your sin will find you out. (Numbers 32:23)). God can see the stains of sin on your heart which no one else can see.
The thief who stole from Greg Johnstone was put in jail for his crime, but God has good news for you and me. Although we are sinners, God offers us forgiveness through His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us. “The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin” (1 John 1:77But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. (1 John 1:7)).
You cannot hide from God. Admit that you are a sinner and need forgiveness for your sins. Trust His Word, the Bible, which says, “Their sins and iniquities will I remember no more” (Hebrews 10:1717And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more. (Hebrews 10:17)).
ML-02/21/1999