The new day for Karen had already ticked off twenty minutes, and she had not made one move to get dressed. Her mother’s reminding her to “hurry and dress” only made her feel cross. The little five-year-old yawned and padded over to the window to see if her puppy “Midnight” was awake. He was, and his wagging tail made her smile back at him.
After some minutes Mother called frantically, “Come, Karen! Mark will be late for school unless we leave RIGHT NOW!”
Next door Mrs. Jones was sewing near an open sliding door. She nearly dropped her needle when the morning quiet was shattered by an ear-splitting noise. Such an insistent siren along with a loud ringing could only be the Kelly’s burglar alarm. “Horrors!” thought Mrs. Jones, “Mrs. Kelly must be gone to take Mark to school by now. Could it really be burglars? Should I call the police?”
Mrs. Jones decided to keep her ears and eyes open and wait in front of the house for her neighbor’s return. After all, she was a good mother, and it would be a shame to cause her any trouble with the police in the event that a child had been left alone in the house. Just then, as suddenly as it had begun, the alarm stopped—just as Mrs. Kelly herself drove up.
“Your burglar alarm... " Mrs. Jones began.
But at that moment the front door burst open, and Karen ran out into her mother’s arms. Between great gasping sobs she managed to say, “I only wanted some air... and... I forgot the alarm was on!”
“Yes, and you forgot to obey Mother! Now into the house with you!” Turning to Mrs. Jones, she explained how Karen had been naughty from the start that morning and would not get dressed in time. “Of course, I shouldn’t have left her alone. I told her to sit on a certain chair and not to get off until I returned. Dear me! I think the two of us have learned a lesson today!”
Not every little girl or boy has had their early-morning sins announced to the entire neighborhood so loudly. But how many times have you not paid attention to the words, “Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right.” Ephesians 6:11Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right. (Ephesians 6:1). God knows what is best for us, and in His love and wisdom He has given us parents to guide and protect us. Karen was, in a sense, a burglar, because she robbed herself of happiness she could have enjoyed by being helpful and obedient to her mother.
But what is even more serious is that all sin is against God. Karen learned that a disobedient act done when no one else was near had surprising results. Listen seriously to this verse from the Bible: “There is nothing... hid, that shall not be known. Therefore, whatsoever ye have spoken in darkness shall be heard in the light; and... shall be proclaimed upon the housetops.” Luke 12:2,32For there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; neither hid, that shall not be known. 3Therefore whatsoever ye have spoken in darkness shall be heard in the light; and that which ye have spoken in the ear in closets shall be proclaimed upon the housetops. (Luke 12:2‑3). Rather frightening, isn’t it?
How good to have all our sins covered—covered over forever by the Lord Jesus Christ. “Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.” Psalms 32:11<<A Psalm of David, Maschil.>> Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. (Psalm 32:1). Those of whom this is true will not even come into judgment, as we are told in John 5:2424Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life. (John 5:24), “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth My word, and believeth on Him that sent Me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation [judgment] but is passed from death unto life.” Won’t you be obedient to His call to believe and trust Him today?
ML-11/25/1984