The Bitter Truth

I was caught off guard when I saw flashing lights on the overhead mirror of my van. I just had a fun time with my kids getting grocery items for the week. It was a quick drive to Walmart after work. I felt tired and not wanting to get out among other reasons. Yet, I managed to say yes to my kids since they need snacks the following day for a field trip that they are excited to go to. Besides, I missed their company after a long day's work. 

Once we are finished buying all the items we needed, I oriented my kids about who will organize the items. I gave them their specific responsibilities prior to driving out from Walmart's parking lot. The kids are conversing to each other as I drive. I switched on the radio and listened to our favorite Christian station.

As I drove, my thoughts were about things on the Christian station, it was an account of Mary when the Lord Jesus rose from the grave. She went to the gravesite and was crying looking for Jesus. Then a man asked her who is she looking for. She answered that it was Jesus. She did not realize that Jesus was the one talking to her. Because she was engrossed in her despair of not seeing her Master, she did not sense that the man speaking to her was Jesus, the Master Himself. And I thought to myself, that is the same way I have responded to hard moments in my life. I search for my Lord and rush with my might to look for Him, when in fact, the still small voice is talking to me. It was a great scene to note that Jesus called her by her name and said, "Mary." What a very personal call and Mary recognized and responded to her Master with delight. I prayed to the Lord at that moment. I asked Him for me to recognize and respond to Him better. I told Him that I want to respond so well to His presence.

Well, I kept on driving. I know that am not overspeeding at all nor in any driving violation of sorts. Until I was caught off guard when I saw flashing lights on the overhead mirror of my van. I said "Oh no!" My kids thought I was overspeeding. I said "I don't think I am since we just turned to a 25mph area." I pulled over to the road side and I told my kids to pray. Then, the officer came up. He asked me if I know why I got pulled. I told him I don't know. I know that I have not been overspeeding at all. I told him that I just took out my kids to buy things they need. He said my violation was that my tail and headlights are not on. To my dismay, yes they are not lighted at all since the place we drove to was very much well lit but it was night time already. During the conversation, my kids were very good, all of them were so quiet. Well, he asked for my insurance and my driver's license which I handed over. He went back to his police car. I told my kids to keep on praying and I did pray hoping only for a warning ticket. After a few minutes of waiting, he came back and explained to me a violation ticket (to my dismay in my thoughts) and how I should pay for it before the deadline or to appear before the court. I asked him some questions and he handed me the ticket and I drove off. On my way home, me and my kids were conversing about the situation. In my mind, am trying to find all the blame I can give to what brought me to this situation. Yet, I have exhausted everything I can put the blame on. However, I came to one conclusion. The bitter truth is that, I did violate the driving laws by not switching on my lights. I can say that the road is well lit up, that my kids just want some things to buy, that my husband should have drove them to the grocery, that in the first place I am not suppose to be out since am tired and all the reasons I can think of to be free from the penalty. But no matter how I say all of these, the truth is, I did violate the law.

From that situation, I came to think about the coming judgment of man under the Almighty God. The gospel has been preached about the Lord Jesus being the Saviour of our sins and even nature itself declares God making no one exempted from acknowledging His authority over man. The bitter truth will soon come for people who does not acknowledge the Lordship of God and for not accepting His sacrifice to pay for their sins. They will be penalize and go to eternal damnation. All rationalizations, blames and hate for this just penalty over sinful man will live on in that eternal place called hell. It will be a place full of hate, the sense of guilt that furrows the innermost beings of men, the absence of rest from the blames of one's conscience will be eternal. People blaming people in hell who has something to do with all the sins they have committed which aggravates their penalty in that place. The pleas for mercy will be wailed and shouted...yet, the bitter truth prevails. A violation of the holiness of God needs justice.   

Yes, only until I settle the violation will I be allowed to continue using my license to drive. To settle the violation, there was a deadline given to me. If it gets settled before the deadline, I can drive again. I can also plea for mercy if I choose to appear in court.

The fact is, man needs to settle the sin violation. The great truth is, the Lord Jesus settled the payment of that violation when He died on the cross for our sins. But, we need to acknowledge Him to settle it. If we don't, we will soon settle the violation ourselves in eternal damnation in hell. If we let Him pay it, we are free. If not, the sad truth is, once the deadline is done...eternal condemnation sets in...don't let it pass, Jesus paid the sin penalty...won't you have Him as your Saviour today?!

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. John 3:16