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| Easster tulips remind me of a sunrise |
For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, Ephesians 2:8 (ESV)
My car, an older GMC Envoy, has several blind spots. In addition, when I start the car, the side mirrors automatically set themselves based upon the previous owner’s preferences. I generally remember to reset the mirrors before I leave our driveway, but on occasion have forgotten only to be reminded when I start to switch lanes or look behind me. I cannot blame the mirrors for a recent car accident that I was in. I was changing lanes on the highway between our house and work. On my way back from lunch one day when I was distracted by a work situation, I had fortunately taken the time to reset the mirrors, but unfortunately, was not paying attention when I moved from the right lane to the left. I did not completely check the blind spots in my car and only knew of the car in the other lane when I heard a horn blow and a crunching noise almost simultaneously. We both pulled over to the side of the road. I checked to make sure she and her passenger, a little girl about two year old, were okay and called the police. I made the call because I knew I had to, but was not eager to get the ticket that I knew I would be getting. While I did not want it I knew the accident was my fault and deserved it. Neither car was heavily damaged. My car only had a scrape on the driver’s side back door just before the wheel. Her car also had a scrape on the passenger side near the front of the car. Still, the law says to call the police and so I did. It was not long before two police officers arrived. One did not stay, he had the form that the other needed, a “driver’s exchange of information form.” I had my papers ready and so did the other driver so he quickly completed the form and gave us each our copies. What he did not give me was a ticket! Even though the form listed me as at fault, he did not issue a citation, wished us both a better day and left. I was stunned and almost afraid to leave the scene, convinced he would come back and say he had forgotten. When it was clear that I was not going to be charged, I drove carefully away. That incident reminded me of God’s gift of grace when we have sinned. Yes, I will have to deal with the consequences of my mistake, including repairs to my car and most likely higher insurance rates, but the fact that I was not given a ticket which likely would have been several hundred dollars in fines was a huge blessing though undeserved. Salvation is a gift given to us by God’s Son who died in our place. Not because of anything I have done, but out of love. Don’t be afraid to accept it. It truly is free. Happy Easter!
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