by Brian Walters, Director of Adult Ministries @ MBC Loudoun

Yesterday, I was heading down the Dulles Toll Road on my way to Launch, which is the men’s morning community group at our campus. Typically when heading out to work I take that time to pray as I did on this day. As I was praying, I looked up into my rear view mirror to see a car quickly approaching behind from far away, positioning itself directly behind. I knew immediately it was a police officer, the only question was, whether or not he was getting behind me to pace me or if he already clocked me with his radar gun. I looked down at my speed and it was 70. I had no idea I was going that fast, but I knew at that moment he had already gotten me. His lights and siren then came on. Do you know that sinking stomach feeling or nervous feeling you get when you see a police car with lights and sirens on behind you? Well, for the first time I didn’t have that feeling when getting pulled over. (Yes, I used to have a lead foot when younger.) I knew I had broken the law and this was the justice I deserved.

The officer approached my car and took my license and registration. When he went back to his car to run his background check and write the ticket and I began praying that God would somehow reduce the ticket to maybe 10 miles over the speed limit instead of 15 miles over the speed limit. I even thought about asking the officer if he calibrated his radar gun, because if he hadn’t I knew I could get out of the ticket. I decided to take the high road and not say anything. I prayed that God would have mercy on me. The officer came back to the car and told me because of my good driving record he was only going to give me a failure to obey a traffic sign ticket instead of a speeding ticket. He also told me this would be one less point on my license too. Can you say, AMEN!

You see this situation reminded me of what Jesus did for us on the cross in that justice is what we deserve for our sin. Justice means death and separation from God “for no one is righteous, not even one of us” (Romans 3:10, 23). By not giving me the penalty I deserved, that police officer showed me mercy, which reminded me of how God shows me mercy every day that I live (Psalm 103:8; Ephesians 2:4; 1 Peter 1:3). If that officer came back and said, “I’m going to let you go with no ticket, just please slow down,” that would have been grace. Grace is giving us something we totally and utterly don’t deserve. Grace is what God showed us on the cross (Ephesians 2:5). While we were still sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:8-9). Jesus paid the penalty and bore the justice we deserved for being sinners at the cross. This reminded me of how much God truly loves us. This reminded me that He deserves nothing but our best. Additionally, this reminded me that I need to pick up my cross daily. Thanks God for reminding me of these things and giving me the opportunity to reconcile my relationship with you.