Unshackled Moments ~ April 12, 2018 ~ Mercy

Driving down the road today in a borrowed truck I noticed the vehicle behind me happened to be a police officer. He stayed behind  me for about a mile and two red lights. The first thing I felt was relief that I had been using cruise control and knew I wasn't speeding. Then I thought about how good it was not to have to worry about such things anymore. There was a time when the mere presence of an officer near me would cause fear because more times than not I had something  with me I shouldn't have legally and or was under the influence. One of the many blessings of recovery is no longer having to be afraid of the consequences of being pulled over.

When we reached the third red light, he moved over into the turning lane and pulled up beside me. After a minute I glanced that direction, trying to gauge by the traffic on that side if the light was about to change. The officer signaled for me to roll down my window. I turned the radio down and hit the button to lower the window. When I did, he said, your right brake light is out. I thanked him, raised the window as the light turned green and began to drive and turn the radio back up.

I felt grateful for the mercy and kindness shown to me. But then it occurred to me that  I had felt I had no need to worry because I was legal, I was doing right. But I  was wrong. No, I had no need to fear any serious consequences, but the officer would have been well within his rights to pull me over and write me a ticket, which I seriously can't afford right now. My brake light isn't even anything easily checked by myself. I had to find something to wedge against the brake to double check what the officer told me when I reached my destination.

And this incident is like what can happen in our spiritual lives. It's great to reach a place where we no longer need fear condemnation and judgment and where we know we are not walking the wrong way on the wrong road. But knowing we are OK in the major things does not mean we are OK in everything. Sometimes we may be off in ways that are near impossible to see in and for ourselves. But we don't need to fear God about these. The Spirit is not a bully cop waiting for us to mess up so that he can write us a ticket or use the misdemeanor as an excuse to harass us and try to come up with a more serious charge.  He longs to protect and serve, and His warnings, which He will graciously give us, are for the safety of us and others.

Today, let us not be afraid to look in the direction of the Spirit. Let us be quick to open up communication with Him and heed His warnings, so that our peace will remain, our joy will be full and our lives will be even more worth living.

This site is free. If this blessed, helped and or informed you, the best thing you can do is pass it on via the social buttons below. And please subscribe or follow Unshackled Life Ministries on Facebook.

Unshackled Life Ministries is grateful for every person that reads the daily Unshackled Moments, the weekly Unshackled Echo and or listens to the Audio Messages. I want to thank those who have clicked "like" on something that blessed or ministered to them on social media, commented on the blog or replied to an email subscription. It is encouraging to know that God is using this ministry to help and bless others. Please remember that if God used something from this ministry to help, encourage or bless you, it could also bless someone else. Would you help get the devotions and sermons to more people by sharing this? Hitting the share button or forwarding this to a friend will help us reach more people with the good news of freedom and the encouragement to live an Unshackled Life. Thank you and God bless.