I traveled to Utica last Sunday to sing at Utica Baptist Church. My good friends and pastor of the church, Ben and Laura Leigh James, always ask me to come sing for their church about this time of the year. I took the children with me and had loaded them back in the car, said our good-byes, and headed back home. Sunday was going to be a busy one with our Christmas program Gracie was to be in that night and other things we needed to do, so my mind was focused on the day ahead. Just as I was about to leave the town, one of Utica's finest pulled me over. "Why is the police car behind you, mommy? He has his lights on!" Gracie said.
The officer approached my car, looked at my license and said, "Ma'am, I clocked you doing 40 in a 35 mile per hour zone." I admitted I wasn't from that town and didn't see the sign; my mind was somewhere else. He looked at my license and said, "You're a long way from home. What brings you to Utica?" I explained I had just sang at the church and was heading home with my children. "I'm sorry I missed that," he said. So I took the liberty to say, "Well, I'm sure the church would love to have you come visit next time you're off work." The officer smiled and said, "I'll do that. Be careful and slow down." (Whew! No ticket....this time!)
I pleaded ignorant because I truly was. It was my fault I was speeding, if even it was just a few miles over the speed limit. Romans 2:8 says, "God will pour out his wrath and anger on those who live for themselves." There may be some verses in the Bible that we don't fully comprehend, but this one is straight forward. If we are not serving others, doing only what is convenient for us, God makes it very clear how He feels---a verse we won't be able to plead ignorant to because we didn't understand what the scripture was saying.
A speeding ticket would surely have been an inconvenience and ding on my driving record. Will you serve someone else today, even if it isn't convenient for you? Or will you plead ignorant to God's Word?
No comments:
Post a Comment