Trouble In A White Impala

Trouble in a White Impala

The e-mails from my neighborhood’s volunteer watch captain were troubling. (His infrequent e-mails alert those neighbors who’ve asked to be informed of any suspicious goings-on in our area.)

Two men in a white Chevy Impala had been seen parking in neighborhood driveways when no one was home, kicking in the doors, and executing a series of snatch-and-grab robberies. It had happened almost half a dozen times—even though folks (including the police) had been made aware of what was going on.

Sometimes you know trouble is out there, but you can’t tell when it’s going to strike. It can still catch you off guard, even if you know what it drives. “If your house has an alarm,” the e-mail said, “set it when you leave. Even if you’re just going out for a ten-minute grocery store run.” I do that. “These guys are brazen,” it added.

Trouble is brazen. A few years ago, the little house I was renting (with no alarm) was robbed—the thief escaping out a broken window in the back as I was putting my key into the front door. I didn’t hear him, but when I walked into my bedroom and saw my drawers and closet doors open and my mattress askew, I knew. A broken window, a broken back gate, and one broken plate were my only losses. The gate and window were repaired that evening, and as robberies go, it was a bust for the robber and only a slight inconvenience for me. But it made me aware that trouble is out there—with no way to know when it might visit.

We shouldn’t be surprised by difficulties. “You will find trouble in the world,” Jesus said, “but never lose heart—I have conquered the world” (see John 16:33). Whether we are prepared or unprepared, fortified or vulnerable, savvy or naive, we can’t stop the white Impala from cruising the streets where we live. But we also have help, for “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in [times of] trouble” (Psalm 46:1, NASB).

May the LORD answer you in the day of trouble! May the name of the God of Jacob set you securely on high!

Psalm 20:1, NASB