…for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night.
1 Thessalonians 5:2 NIV
A Thief in the Night
Thousands of dollars in missing packages from mailrooms, a city employee taking weeks of paid sick leave to work another job and a retiree’s credentials being used to attempt multi-million-dollar fraud are just some of the highlights in an annual report from Toronto’s auditor general. Several employees involved in examples laid out in the auditor general’s report on the fraud and waste hotline no longer work for the city and are ineligible to be rehired. The annual report was presented to the councillors this past February at the audit committee.
***
People live their lives these days with security cameras and systems guarding their homes, doing everything they can to prevent thieves from breaking in and stealing valuables. Thankfully, most of us never experience this kind of personal violation. But we all understand what Paul is speaking about in 1 Thessalonians 5:2, regarding the return of Jesus: “…for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night.” None of us know when the Lord Jesus will return. In fact, the Bible suggests that he will come when we least expect Him to. A thief does not send notice. He does not knock politely. He comes suddenly. In the same way, Jesus will come at an hour the world does not expect. Yet for those who belong to Him, this truth is not meant to produce anxiety—it is meant to inspire readiness. We are not called to predict His coming. We are called to prepare for it. When our hearts are walking closely with Jesus, His coming will not catch us unprepared—it will find us watching.
These have been words from the heart.
Bob Beasley