Messenger in Blue

I am down-sizing from a four drawer file cabinet to a two drawer file cabinet, which involves looking at every paper I have filed in the past who-knows-how-long.

I keep saying, What in the world was I saving this for?

In the process, I found something I wrote back in 1980. I share it here.

If I hadn’t promised myself and my Lord to be honest in these columns, I sure wouldn’t be writing this one now. But this is about being honest with myself and Him, so I might as well get on with it.

I committed a moving violation (in my car) last week – and was caught – instantly.

I’m fairly sure the polite man in blue who wrote my citation was not aware he was acting as an instrument of the Holy Spirit, but I’m more than fairly sure he was.

Three years ago the Lord taught me about obedience by teaching me to obey the civil law, such as driving within the speed limit. Since then I have tried to be faithful to Him, not just obeying the law, but being obedient to the leadings of His Spirit.

This week I broke the law, lied to myself, disobeyed Him – and He still loves me.

When I found myself at the end of a long line of traffic waiting to go straight through an intersection – and I wanted to turn right – I broke the law. I created a “right turn lane” that wasn’t there by driving through the parking lot of a business firm.

That’s a legal no-no.

In this instance, it was worse than that. It was an occasion for spiritual disobedience.

The spiritual fault lay in deceiving myself, in telling myself it wasn’t really wrong since the parking lot was large, almost like a road, and I wasn’t getting in any one’s way.

I lied to myself. I knew it wasn’t right, but I ignored the small voice that said to wait patiently in line.

That is why, after a moment of shock, I recognized the policeman as the grace of God in action.

How wonderful my Lord is to point out my fault so quickly.

Jesus did not allow me to turn away from Him, to stay with my self-deception. I was called quickly to repentance, confession and reconciliation.

I cannot lie to myself and stay with Him. I can be – and was – forgiven. That is His promise, His gift to me.

The moving violation cost me $25.

But it was a small price to pay, isn’t it, for a reminder that my Lord is with me and wants me to be perfect. Think of the price Jesus paid when He reconciled me to God, when He made that forgiveness possible.

Twenty-seven years and I’m still thankful for my angelic messenger in blue – and my Lord.