We were late so I was trimming
time with the accelerator in our 1984 Encore. As I accelerated from the first stop
sign, I heard a grinding noise. Was it serious? Did I need to stop immediately or
could we go on?
I speeded up; I speeded up more and
then decelerated. No noise. Then I heard it again. I pulled into the next driveway
to take a look. As I did so, I noticed flashing lights in my rear view mirror.
As I got out of the car to
check, the officer told me to get back in and wait. The officer came up and explained
to me that he was pulling me over because of erratic driving. “Please step out
of the car for a sobriety test.” I explained; he informed; etc., etc..
At traffic court six weeks
later, I pleaded my case. “If he was going to stop me for erratic driving and
speeding, why didn’t he stop me right away? And, considering extenuating
circumstances (I produced the receipt for the torn CV boot repair), could the
court show some leniency?” My fine was reduced; fewer points were assessed; but,
in the end, I had to plead guilty in order to receive the reduced sentence.
Today, Daniel ’s
prayer pleads for leniency while recognizing the people’s sin. God responds with
restoration to full relationship following a time of accountability. We are all
guilty of something, some time. We, however, do need to hold ourselves
accountable for what we have done. Then we can ask for leniency and pardon for
those things we have done. Aren’t we glad that God is willing to forgive?
Prayer
Lord, there are times when we become so focused on ourselves that we forget about our relationships with you and one another, and so we come seeking mercy. We have sinned against you in thought, word and deed; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. Have mercy on us. Amen
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