“No one, sir,” she said. “Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life
of sin.”…John 8:11.
Last Saturday my husband and I spent the day
in Chicago with my oldest son and his family!
Our first stop was at Navy Pier to visit the
Winter Wonderland!
The boys had so much fun doing all of the
activities, which included a train ride…
Riding a giant rocking horse…
Sliding down an inflatable slide (numerous
times)…
Riding a Ferris wheel…
Having snowball fights…
Ice skating…
And of course, what day isn’t complete
without funnel cake!!
After a full morning and afternoon at the
Winter Wonderland, we headed to Lincoln Park Zoo!
We arrived at the park around dusk, just as
the zoo was turning on their lights! It
was beautiful!
The park was elaborately
decorated…bright-colored lights were displayed everywhere…and you could view
the most amazing light show as Christmas music played in the background!
Though I couldn’t take my eyes off the
lights, I think the boys were more excited to see the tiger and lions!
I have to confess…those large cats were quite
impressive to watch!
And of course…. riding the carousel was a
must!
I think I might have seen a little bit of a
Mama Bear in our sweet Rachel as she dashed to save the tiger on the carousel for
Graham!
As we patiently waited for our turn, he
repeatedly said that he wanted to ride the tiger, and his mama made sure he got
his wish!
As it turned darker outside, the lights were
even brighter and more spectacular! It
really was breathtaking and I just loved looking at the glorious display of
brilliance before me!
I mean…who doesn’t love looking at Christmas
lights!
I think I could just stare at them for hours!
I am already looking forward to our next
visit!
However, there is another set of lights that
I prefer not to see!!
The flashing red lights that I viewed
yesterday morning in my rearview mirror were definitely not a welcome sight!
I have only received one speeding ticket
during my married life, so I tend to get a little nervous when I see these
lights flashing behind me.
Quickly pulling over, I rolled down my window
as the officer approached my car.
He informed me that I was speeding, and to
make matters worse…I had been speeding in front of a school.
I felt horrible and immediately
apologized!
After handing him my license and verifying my
address, I sheepishly asked if I might just receive a warning, to which the
office responded…”We’ll see”!!
Though I have only had one speeding ticket
during the last 31 years...if I am completely honest…I could have easily been
given more tickets!
I catch myself exceeding the speed limit on a
regular basis!
What is my excuse??
I might use the excuse that I am always
rushing from one place to the next because I am busy and trying to reach each
destination in a timely manner!
But if I am honest, that is not really a very
good excuse!
So, when the officer returned to my car with
only a pink slip of paper and said that he was only going to give me a warning,
I was extremely thankful!
I thanked the officer and drove much slower
the rest of the way to work that morning!
However, as I thought about what had just
happened…I realized that I needed to take this warning seriously and slow down!
Every time I speed…I am breaking the
law!
It is wrong!
And I need to honor the speed limits and do what is right!
As I thought about this, I was reminded of a
scripture in the bible, which says…“Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus
declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.”…John 8:11.
Just as Jesus was sitting down to teach those
gathered around him in the temple courts, the teachers of the law and the
Pharisees brought in a woman who had been caught in adultery.
Standing before the group who had gathered in
the temple, the Pharisees said to Jesus, “Teacher, this
woman was caught in the act of adultery. In the
Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?”…John
8:4-5
The story continues…But
Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. When they kept on questioning him, he
straightened up and said to them, “Let any one of you who is without sin be the
first to throw a stone at her.” Again he stooped down and
wrote on the ground…John 8:6-8
At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there. Jesus straightened up and asked her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?”
“No one, sir,” she said…
“Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.”
Jesus did not condemn the woman, but he did tell her to go and sin no more!
My habit of exceeding the speed limit is wrong…it is sin!
And if I completely honest, I am often exceeding the speed limit for no good reason!
It is just something that I have gotten by with…so I have continued to do it!
I was fortunate to receive only a warning this morning!
And now I need to heed that warning…slow down…follow the speed limit…and choose to do what is right!
Maybe speeding is not an issue for you, but maybe you have other habits…other sins…in your life that you need to turn from.
If so, I pray that you too would realize that you need to turn from the sin in your life…and go and sin no more!
In God’s strength...it is possible!
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