I CAN Drive 55!

By Denise Reed

This Week’s Verse: Romans 5:8, “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (NIV)

Devotion: Confession: I used to speed. When I was younger and less responsible I wanted to get places as quick as I could. My motto was, “Move over and let me drive!” When I became more responsible, hauling around two children, I changed my ways, or so I thought. One day, as I’m driving along with the kids the back, singing along with the Christian radio station on, I look down and see that I am driving a nice 60mph in a 55mph zone. Perfect! Then God and I had this conversation:

God: “Driving over the speed limit is breaking the law, and breaking the law is a sin."

Me: “But God, cops won’t pull anyone over for going just 5mph over the limit. So if they don’t pull me over for it, it’s OK, right? Everybody does it."

God: “But what does the speed limit sign say? It doesn’t say 60pmh. You are breaking the law! You are sinning without remorse. Sin leads to death!"

And then God gave me this thought: Say I am driving just a meager 5mph over the limit and get into a fatal accident. Will I be rejected from Heaven because I was sinning without any remorse or thought of repentance? Wow! I decided I am not going to be denied those pearly gates for something so small.

As I continued to think about this new revelation over the next few weeks, God revealed something else to me. By speeding every time I got behind the wheel, I had been living a lifestyle of sin. Lifestyle of sin!? Isn’t that term just used for serial murderers, alcoholics, rapists, the sexually immoral and all those other people? Yes! But I was acting no better than any of them! This second revelation has opened my eyes to all people who are living a lifestyle of sin and the fact that it’s not my job to judge them. My sin is not better than theirs, nor does it receive a lesser degree of punishment.

So now as I drive along with my cruise control set at 55mph (thank you Lord for cruise control), it feels liberating to know that I am not breaking the law. My heart no longer skips a beat when I see a police car. The title of this devotion is not a misquoted lyric of Sammy Hagar’s, because now, I really CAN drive 55!

Lord, thank you for giving me this revelation of my lifestyle of sin. Please continue to show me my sin that put up a wall between my heart and You. Amen.

Application: Are you living a lifestyle of sin? Is there a guilty pleasure you let yourself indulge in just every once in a while? These both put up a wall between you and God. Repent from your ways. Ask Him to reveal to you these areas of your heart.

Power Verses: Psalm 139:23, "Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thought." (NIV)

1 John 1:19, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." (NIV)

Hebrews 10:26-27, "If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God." (NIV)