One week ago yesterday, I did this to my car. It was my fault. It happened because I was careless changing lanes.
I'm not sharing this so anyone will feel sorry for me; I'm sharing because there are some lessons I've learned in a fresh way this past week.
God doesn't make mistakes.
It may seem like this was an accident; but the Lord had it planned from the dawn of time. It interrupted my own life in so many ways; it kept a mother and her three children from going home or wherever they were going; it created damage to both cars to the tune of thousands of dollars. But the Lord has a higher plan than I have.
Blind unbelief is sure to err,
And scan His work in vain;
God is His own interpreter,
And He will make it plain.
I don't know what that plan is. I don't have to. I no longer have a perfect driving record. But the Lord does.
Carelessness has consequences.
I caused a collision by my careless driving. But how much worse would it be to wreck my soul by careless living! The Scripture likens the Christian life to a garden, to a race, and to a battle. None of these things happen automatically. If you don't tend your garden, weeds will choke it out. If you don't train for a race, you will not win. If you don't plan for a battle, you will surely be conquered. There is a kingdom to be taken; let us not be careless with our days!
My roommate is a runner. Right now she is training for a 10k race. If she didn't train, she might not even be able to finish the course. It takes practice. It takes perseverance. It takes a lot of determination to run, even when it's hot outside. But she does it so she can run in the race.
“Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win. Everyone who competes in the games exercises self-control in all things. They then do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable.”
~I Corinthians 9:24-25
Even unintentional crimes have consequences.
This sounds like the same point, but it's not.
On Sunday night, the police issued me a ticket for colliding with another vehicle. I had no idea that was even against the law! I certainly didn't intend to do it. (Does anyone?) Nevertheless, I have to plead guilty in the court of law, because I am guilty.
In a much more real way, even if you didn't intend to sin against God, you are nonetheless guilty. Sin is sin, whether you intend it or not. The Israelites had to make atonement for their unintentional sins. I'm not talking to Christians here, because if Christ has washed you from your sins, He has washed you from your unintentional sins. But if you are not trusting in Christ Jesus, the Lamb of God, for the cleansing of your sins, then pay attention: even if you think you are a good person, and you don't think you have broken God's law, you have broken it. The first law is to love the Lord with all your heart; and even though you may not intend to break it, you have broken that law. Without the atonement found in Jesus Christ, you must and will plead guilty before the Court of God's law.
