As the saga played out, I was writing this blog in my head and taking photos to bear witness to my conundrum. I saw the swirling red lights and heard the screeching siren behind me. No thought of concern because I was staying within the speed limit and making good time to Austin after a sweet time with family in Rusk, TX.
In dismay, I pulled over. How dare this State Trooper pull over a sweet little lady on Christmas Eve? \u201cMerry Christmas, M\u2019am! I pulled you over because I noticed you don\u2019t have a front license plate on your car.\u201d Me: \u201dMerry Christmas, Sir! It\u2019s here in my glove compartment. See that grill \u2013 it just wouldn\u2019t look good on it!\u201d Officer Sandifer, smiling, agreed with me. He was merciful with giving me only a warning ticket and advised me to at least put it in my front window. I did, but it looked tacky there.
It is true. I knew I was disregarding what the law said. My shiny new sports car has a super cool grill on the front. I didn\u2019t want to mar it with a license plate \u2013 especially when there\u2019s already one on the back. The dealership’s service rep offered to mount the front tag for me. I asked if it was necessary. He replied: \u201cIt\u2019s the law in Texas for a front and back license plate.\u201d I refused his offer and put it in my glove compartment. For seven months, I disobeyed the law! Lord, please forgive me for my pride and my roguish behavior!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cBe sure your sins will find you out,\u201d is what we think when a child is stealing a cookie from the cookie jar right before dinner. When they try to fib their way out of it, Mom sees the crumbs on their face. They were found out. Those words come directly from God\u2019s Manual for Success, the Bible. \u201c\u2026.and you may be sure that your sin will find you out.\u201d (Numbers 32:23)
I am in confession mode here. I can\u2019t slow down here because those words are so critical for us to hear. It is a sobering reality that Holy Spirit nudges us to make all things right. And \u201cwhen we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us of our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.\u201d (1 John 1:9)
We are all prone to try to hide sin. We resist confessing it because we don\u2019t want anyone to know about it. Sometimes, that hidden sin can just grow and grow. One slip here and one there, and before we know it, our conscience is seared, and we are living a hidden life of disobedience. God is saying in his Word, \u201cBe sure of this. Your sin will find you out.\u201d
I hope you are hearing my heart today just in case there are some hidden sins in your life, that like me, we need to repent and turn from those mistakes (aka sins). I am reminding us that we can\u2019t hide from God because He knows all and sees all. He wants to bless us with His goodness and mercy AND He wants to cleanse us from the yuck that may be in our lives. The adversary wants us to keep our mistakes a secret. But God knows, and He wants us to make wrong things right so He can bless us with His abundance.
Saga conclusion: I wanted to turn my roguish behavior into God\u2019s favor. How can I expect his favor when I\u2019m living rogue to His ways? I stopped by my car dealership on Tuesday and had them put the bracket and the license plate on my car. Now, clean before my Lord I stand. I really do want to get it right. I want a clean slate. Won\u2019t you join me in coming clean, inside, and out, with a clean slate too? If you have little hidden sins, maybe today would be a good day to \u201ccome clean\u201d!
\u201cBlessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.\u201d Matthew 5:8<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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