Forgiveness is…

Forgiveness is:

·        Going to sleep at night without guilt.

·        Being released from the debt your sin made between you and God.

·        Rebuking the old memories that taunt you about failures from the past.

·        A paralyzed man hearing he is forgiven and realizing forgiveness is more important than walking.

·        Having the old sin habits sanded out of your soul and new channels of grace forming.

·        Seeing the world differently because you no longer think everyone is better than you.

·        Feeling God’s embrace.

·        God deciding to let you be born even though he knows you will sin, and deciding to pay for your failures anyway so you could have eternal life.

·        Closing your eyes for the last time on earth and opening them for the first time in heaven.

·        Being set free from shame that twists your behavior into something unnatural.

·        Hearing God’s laughter.

·        A dying reprobate asking Jesus for mercy and hearing “Today you will be with me in Paradise.”

·        Extending grace to people who hurt you, because you had grace extended to you.

·        Feeling clean in the presence of God.

·        A bath of grace.

·        No longer bracing against God for fear He will torment you with your stupidity; but instead finding no condemnation in His eyes.

·        The number one hater of Christians being turned into the number one missionary for Jesus.

·        Knowing your sins have been hurled past the borders of the universe.

·        A lifting of depression because you know the old heaviness of shame has left.

·        Better than paying off all your debt.

·        Hearing the Judge declaring you “guilty” and then telling you that His son will pay your fine.

·        A fresh, cool breeze blowing grace over your soul wounds.

·        Knowing God’s power to forgive is greater than the power of the evil that controls you.

·        Jesus forgiving the soldiers who beat him, the Governor who sentenced him to die, and the religious leaders who falsely accused him.

·        God telling you that you have nothing to prove to him.

·        The promise that God will cover you with layer after layer of grace, so your sin is buried under the weight of His love.

·        Good News.

·        Jesus hunting Peter down on the day of his resurrection to tell him his betrayal is forgiven.

·        Feeling grateful to the One who forgives you.

·        Jesus taking your burden of the past from you and putting it on Himself.

·        Your soul dancing because God has done for you what you could not do for yourself.

·        Jesus looking into the eyes of woman barely clothed, fresh from a bed of adultery and telling her, “Neither do I condemn you.  God and sin no more.”

·        Feeling a deep peace because your soul no longer wars within itself.

·        Agreeing with God about the truth of your life, the mess you’ve made of it, and how much you need Him. 

·        Being set free from being the victim.

·        Not bought with trinkets you bring to God hoping to buy it, but a gift extended to you.

·        A forever change in your life.

·        Jesus summoning his last bit of strength to say “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”

·        What you need.

Speeding, Tickets, and Grace…

I was traveling to Charleston for a wedding rehearsal.  Traffic was heavy on the Interstate, which slowed no one down.  I was going faster than the speed limit, mostly to keep from being run over by the Friday afternoon traffic, but also because I was a little concerned I would be late for the rehearsal. Knowing the streets around my hotel would be clogged, I decided to loop around and come in from the Ashley River side of the city.

Ever notice when you get off the Interstate, your body’s sense of motion doesn’t slow down?  Your body is still tense from rapid movement, and your foot still wants to depress the accelerator.  I slowed down to what I thought was a reasonable speed as I merged into traffic.  I came over the top of the Highway 7 bridge and I saw a Charleston Policeman sitting at the bottom.  Of course, I slammed on the brakes – isn’t that what everyone does? 

The policeman pulled out into traffic.   He was ahead of me, so I figured as long as I stayed behind him, I was safe.  Then he motioned through his rolled down window to pass him.  I was determined to stay under the speed limit, as soon as I could find out what it was.  Thirty-five seemed safe.

The police car changed lanes and fell in behind me.  Not a good sign.  Still, no lights, no siren.  We traveled another mile to get off the causeway.  He was still back there.  The highway widened to accommodate a middle turn lane; then he cut on the siren and his lights. 

The familiar sinking feeling in my stomach hit.  I know the drill all too well.  Get out your driver’s license, registration and proof of insurance.   I pulled over.  The officer approached, cautious, though I didn’t think I looked particularly dangerous.  He asked for my items, looked them over, and then came the familiar question, “Mr. Smith, did you know you were doing 63 in a 50 mile-an-hour zone?”  One thing I’ve learned through the years: never argue with a policeman who has a radar gun.

I answered honestly, “Officer, I did not know I was going that fast.”  Officer: “Mr. Smith, do you have any reason for going that fast?” 

This is always the embarrassing moment.  I would have to tell the man I was a pastor, on my way to a wedding rehearsal, and I thought I was late.  I told him the story and he said, “Okay, Mr. Smith, I’ll be right back.”  I knew what that meant: a moving violation, two to four points, and a hefty fine.

The officer came back after a couple of minutes with my ticket printed out.  He reduced my ticket to two points, and a $76 fine, which was gracious of him.  I thanked him, signaled carefully, and pulled back out into traffic, now really late.

I admit I was a little bitter.  It was a Friday.  Everyone was going faster than 50.  Why me?  Why did he have to write me a ticket for going 13 miles over the speed limit?  Sure, I deserved it, but how about a break?  Funny how we trivialize breaking the law.

The next day, I had to run out to nearest grocery story to get some allergy medicine.  I talked to my brother as I drove.  There are no short conversations with my brother.  After we get passed the five minutes or so of brotherly insults, he spends another five minutes filling me on all the news of home and trying to remember why he called me.  It finally hit him why he called; he needed to ask me a question our wives had already processed and made a decision about.  He simply wasn’t in the loop yet.

 By now, I’m parked at the grocery store, ready to wind up this conversation.  We trade another brotherly insult or two, then hang up.  Now I’m out of the truck, walking up to the store.

Out of the corner of my eye, I see a Charleston policeman walking into the store.  He looks vaguely familiar, and then it hits me: it’s the same officer who wrote me a ticket the day before. 

“Hello Mr. Smith.  How was the wedding rehearsal yesterday?,” he asked.  “It went really well,” I stammered.  “I can’t believe you remember me and remembered I was going to a wedding rehearsal!” 

“Well,” he said, “you were the last person I dealt with before I called it a day and I guess you stuck in my mind.”  He paused, and then he said, “I tell you what Mr. Smith, don’t worry about that ticket.  I’ll tear it up.” 

I was shocked.  “Thank you, but you really don’t have to do that.”  I meant the thanks and didn’t mean the part about not doing that.  “Don’t worry about it, Mr. Smith, I’ll take care of it,” he said.  “Enjoy Charleston.”  Then he walked away.

There was no doubt I deserved the ticket; I broke the law, even though I never saw a speed limit sign.  There was also no doubt the officer showed me great grace.  He took away the punishment I deserved.  What I can’t get over is the timing.  One more minute on the phone with my brother and I would have missed the officer.  One less minute on the phone (highly unlikely) with my brother and I would have missed the officer.   The timing was perfect.

It was small act of grace, a micro-miracle.  I don’t believe in luck; I believe in grace.  I think God sent this small act of grace from a Charleston police officer to remind me of his big act of grace.  I’m not just guilty of exceeding the speed limit; I’m guilty of every sin I’ve ever committed.  I deserve punishment.  I should have to pay the fine.  Jesus did not tear up the ticket, the fine for my sin.  He died on a cross to pay my debt.  I will not have to appear before the judge and declare my spiritual bankruptcy.  God has taken care of my ticket for me.  He’ll take care of yours too, if you accept his gift of grace.