Thief of Your Heart

The dalmatian is a stately dog of distinguished strength and intelligence. Early drawings of the breed can be traced to the 1600’s and the land of Croatia. With great guarding instincts and genuine loyalty, this canine has been used by firefighters since the time of America’s horse-drawn fire engines. Its friendly soul was quite compatible with that of the mighty horses that raced to the scene of a fire, the dogs running in front of them to clear their path when the alarm sounded.

But above all the other services this “spotted coach dog” provided, perhaps the greatest service  was that of standing guard. At a time when a fine horse-drawn fire engine and its team were fare for thieves, the dalmatian stood between would-be robbers and their intended target, assuring the public access to fire services when needed. Without the aid of the dalmatian to early fire services in American cities and towns, history books would likely hold many more major disasters that started with a spark.

The problem of sin within our hearts can also start with a small spark that soon ignites, spreading destruction in one form or another throughout our being. We, too, have a thief in Satan. He would like nothing more than to steal from us by infiltrating our desires and the plans we make that set our course, held within our inmost being—the heart. God warns us to keep guard over our heart above all other things:

Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life. Proverbs 4:23

How can we guard against the thief of our heart? One invaluable weapon  is the spoken Word of God.  We must grow in our understanding of His commandments and desires for us. We must gain understanding of the Bible and make the choice to follow its teachings, putting our faith in God by obedience to His Word. The thief, although unseen, is real. Above all you do, guard your heart with God’s truth!