GUILTY

OK, so here's the thing. I was driving home from Paris on Tuesday and for the first half of the trip I had my praise music on. Got me in the mood to pray, so I turned it off and prayed for the next half of the trip. As I took my exit on Ridge Road, I whizzed off that interstate in full solo praise mode when I looked in my rear view mirror to see the flashing lights of Rockwall's finest - a motorcycle policeman!

I quickly (57 in a 45) moved off the access road to a parking lot and whipped into a parking place. I put down my window, grabbed my insurance card and had the biggest smile on my face - yes, a smile - and yes, I wasn't upset. I handed him that card as he showed me my SIN - right there on his little handheld radar contraption - bigger than Dallas - 57 in a 45. I laughed and said, "I had just exited off the freeway and was just happily singing to the Lord." He said, "Happy, huh?" "Singing to the Lord," I said. "And I guess He is telling me to slow down." He said, "You think you can." "Yes, sir!" says I. And then he thanks me for being courteous. I started laughing and said, "Thank you for being so nice because I deserved a ticket!"

I want to tell you....my heart never even sped up. I was tickled about the whole thing. I was GUILTY as sin. I knew it. He knew it. He had the evidence. I saw it on the dashboard. I deserved the ticket. Wasn't even upset about getting one. D E S E R V E D a ticket. For some reason, he left me off.

I don't think it was because he thought I was cute. He might have been 20 and he was darling. Could have been one of my boys. Truly wanted to pinch his cute little cheeks. Thought about my precious little Josh who is a policeman. I digress.

ANYWAY.....point is. It's Easter week. GUILTY GUILTY GUILTY. All of us. As sin. And for some reason - beyond the fact that He made us and thinks we're cute - God sent His Son to give us a pardon. Getting off made me happy. Made me grateful. Made me want to give that cute little guy a hug.

Getting saved makes me joy-filled. Makes me grateful. Makes me want to praise and worship Jesus as long as I have breath!!!

We got off!!!! He took the punishment. You and me - we're free to live. I could have taken advantage of the privilege and driven like - well, hell. But that would have been a huge disservice to my sweet and generous friend (he's my friend now - Officer Johnson is his name). No, not me. I will try my best to abide by the speed limit (unless I get lost in my praising again).

Same with the life of a believer. We are free to live like - well, hell. But that would be putting to shame the grace Jesus died to give us. Nope. Not going to do it. Oh, like the speed limit thing - I will mess up again. No doubt about it. I have a heavy foot and a penchant for sinning. But I sure don't want to.

Easter. What a wonderfully joyous time! Forgiven. Pardoned. Ransomed. Redeemed. A do-over. A fresh start. A rebirth. All because we are His.

Glory to His name!