A Towable Offense
- swhelan88
- Jan 9
- 3 min read
Oops. I did it again.
So, I got pulled over by a police officer yesterday in town. I had a feeling those lights were going to go on since he was riding so close to my vehicle. And do you know why he pulled me over? My registration was expired. You see, this isn't the first time I've been pulled over for an expired registration, in town nevertheless. I was pulled over a year or two ago (or whenever I last had to renew it) for the same violation. Ugh. I will be paying closer to attention to these expiration dates...especially now that I know the punishment!
The officer was a gentleman, like the vast majority of them are, and he kindly kept it to a warning. He said, "I'm just reminding you that this is a TOWABLE OFFENSE - so please renew because I cannot guarantee another officer will do the same." At that moment I felt it...the sudden gasp for air as the shockwave of nerves ran through my body. I COULD'VE BEEN TOWED?!? No way! No thanks! I expressed my gratitude towards the officer and assured him I would renew my registration once I arrived at work.
Twenty-four hours later, I still hadn't. But that changed very quickly once I saw a police officer in my rear view mirror (lights off, but gaining ground on me). Not willing to test the grace of another officer, I immediately turned off the road I was on, pulled over, and renewed my registration online using my phone. Phew.
This experience reminded me of how much God's grace and forgiveness really means in our lives. It can be easy to forget that the penalty for sin is hell. Jesus warns against hell more times than anyone else in the Bible. It's sobering to be reminded that without making Christ our LORD, that's where we will spend eternity - in a prison of fire and torment.
And to give you who are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. These shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power. (1 Thessalonians 2:7-9)
I am so grateful for how God extends His grace towards us, much like the officer gave me a second chance. Consider this - the Bible says we have already been caught in the act of our sin. Basically, we have already been pulled over, sirens on, waiting for the citation. But God hasn't issued us the final ticket or summons for court yet. He has extended grace through Jesus and has given us time, now, to make a decision on whether we will repent and follow His Son. Don't wait until tomorrow and risk making an eternal mistake.
Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation. (2 Corinthians 6:2 - partial)
I love how Jesus explains to his disciple, Peter, that those who truly realize and understand how much, and to what magnitude, they have been forgiven by God - the same individuals will express the same level of love back towards to the One who has forgiven them.
There was a certain creditor who had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. And when they had nothing with which to repay, he freely forgave them both. Tell Me, therefore, which of them will love him more?” Simon answered and said, “I suppose the one whom he forgave more.”
Let this be an encouragement to meditate on God's Word, specifically, the lengths and depths at which we are forgiven when we make Jesus our LORD. When I consider the punishment for sin and the true weight of my iniquity, it becomes evident how desperate my situation was and how hopeless it was - until the CROSS.
Hallelujah for the CROSS.
Who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness—by whose stripes you were healed. (1 Peter 2:24)
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