I shared this true story at my Bible study group last night. The reception and feedback from my ladies prompted me to pray about writing this down and sharing it. So here it is and I hope you are encouraged!
I was on my way to my tennis match on Saturday afternoon when it happened. It was less than five minutes and two traffic lights before my left turn when a pick-up truck cut in front of me as the light was turning red. I was not upset, not even annoyed. However, as we waited for the light to turn green, I became fixated on the truck, to the point when the traffic light changed colors, I was not focused on where I needed to go and was just following the truck. The driver turned left early onto the interstate highway. Instead of going straight to the next left turn lane, I did what the driver did. The next thing I knew, I was on the way to getting on the highway, which was not at all where I needed to be. I had to detour to get to the tennis courts which took an extra ten minutes. Thankfully, I was still able to get to the courts early.
God used this bizarre episode to drive home an important point on sin for me. We had been studying the Book of Romans in our Bible study and we had been talking a lot about law and grace, the old self and the new self, flesh and the spirit, among many other things. Our pastor also talked about sin as he preached on the Holy Spirit last Sunday. So I had been thinking about the topic of sin, and it dawned on me that sin operated very much like the way I drove during those few minutes.
When the pick-up truck cut in front of me, I became distracted rather than staying focused on where I was supposed to go. Instead of staying the course, I mindlessly followed the truck and got to a place I did not need to be. As a result, I was off course, and I lost time to the detour. Only by God's grace was my path corrected and I got to where I was supposed to be.
Oh sin, how cunning are you. You distract me when I am on my guard the least. You take me to places I don't need to be, and you take me farther away than I want to go.
But I am thankful to my awesome God, who provides a way out when I am distracted and lose my way!
