It’s hard to imagine hay bales being the focus of a crime spree, but in some parts of the US, hay theft is emerging as a big problem. Some brazen thieves made off with truckloads of bales, worth thousands of dollars, while other steal one bale at a time, presumably hoping the farmers or ranchers won’t notice. This strange phenomenon reminds one of how we play games with God. We think one little white lie won’t matter, or cheating on income tax just this once surely can’t be considered a big sin. But just like those who steal hay, whether one bale or a truckload, they are still thieves. So when we break even one of God’s laws we fall short of His standard. That’s why Paul wrote, “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” But the good news is that when we admit we’ve fallen short and ask for mercy, God replies, “Seek the Lord while He may be found, call upon Him while He is near….for He will abundantly pardon.”

Pastor Alex Rockwell