Our store in Grand Rapids (Comstock Park, actually) was robbed at gunpoint last night. When I was told well after the fact by my son who runs it a number of thoughts raced around my head. What was stolen? Is everyone OK? Did they catch the thieves? All pretty good questions, if I do say so myself.
The police responded quickly to the call of our employees, blocked off the shopping center, tracked the path of the thieves and quickly recovered almost everything that was stolen. They apparently have a couple of suspects, and we hope to have it all behind us, more or less, within the next few days.
That experience led perfectly into this blog post I just read, written by somebody I don’t know, never heard of before. (At least he’s a Detroit Tigers fan. That says so much about him and I feel like I know him already.) It tells of his recent experience with an armed robbery at his home, and the perspective from which he was able to view it. It’s all in the perspective. I especially like his statement to his son: “we were face to face with me telling him plainly and slowly that, “No one can hurt you. No one in this world can touch or harm you without God’s permission.” I quoted Spurgeon to him, saying, “The God who has been sufficient until now can be trusted to the end.””
My first response shouldn’t have been questions, it should have been praise, prayers of thankfulness. Fortunately, I can still praise God, and now I can do it in a little more informed manner. I praise God that He is in control. I praise God that no one was hurt. I praise God that almost all that was stolen was returned. I pray for those who committed this crime, and for those who were affected by it. It’s a life changing experience for all of them.
Thank You, Lord!
Great thoughts Jim!