I speed. I don't mean that I am a pedal to the metal kind of person. I am not a speed demon. I just speed...a little...all the time. I drive right around 3-4 mph over the limit. It is not enough to feel badly about. What is interesting is that it is not even enough to make much of a difference in how quickly I get where I am going. To be honest I haven't thought about it enough to come up with the deep reason I am doing it. This is what I do know. I try to rationalize it. I say to myself," This really isn't that bad and isn't really wrong". And then I see a policeman. Immediately I look down at my speedometer, take my foot off the gas, and look feverishly in the rear view mirror until I can no longer see him. It's amazing I haven't crashed while looking back hoping not to get a ticket. The law of the Lord is like a light, scripture says. The law shines and shows me what I am. So it is. There is no excuse, no rationalization, no escaping the law. It is what it is. This is the thing. The law shows me as worse than I think I am. If it is true with driving just think of what it is like in all the other parts of my life. So, once again I am reminded of Jesus and of grace. Today, as I drive home (within the speed limit) I will remind myself that I am worse than I have ever wanted to admit and more deeply loved than I ever dared to imagine. Even a ticket will just remind me of the wonder of grace today.
Friday, November 30, 2007
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4 comments:
I'm a speeder and I'm a sinner. I'm also a Christian and this week I read that in the same way that a child is no less a human being than an adult a Christian can be no more Christian than he or she is already--either you are a Christian or you are not. I've spent a life-time trying to become more Christian. I may be able to become more mature as a Christian but I cannot become more Christian! I thank God for Grace that deals with my immaturity. Grace is an awesome and wonderful thing when I am it's recipient! When I am called upon to extend it to someone who has hurt me it doesn't seem quite so awesome. The only way we can know how much grace costs Jesus is to give it to someone who doesn't deserve it! Grace is awesome because I am a speeder and I am a sinner. I do not deserve grace but I sure do need it!
Joe, but here's the thing... only once have I ever got a ticket for going 7 mph over the speed-limit, which is where I typically set my cruise on cross-country trips. So what does that mean? I also cut the cruise as I approach and pass a speed trap, but more out of respect for the worker than a real desire to slow down to the speed limit. That's a tough one... Mike
You know, I don't have a "fish" on the back of my car, because I cannot trust myself to keep the speed limit. I speed all the time. I don't plan it. I look down and I am going ten miles an hour over the speed limit. I slow down, and then 5 minutes later I have drifted back up again. Is this sin? We are called to submit ourselves to every authority instituted among men. I am stuck between thinking I am not taking God's word seriously and that I need to quit ruminating over the trivial. Either way, I speed...in my 8 year old minivan on the way to pick up my son from small group. Proposterous!
Ps. I spelled preposterous wrong too!!
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