Grace On The Interstate

God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it.

Ephesians 2:8-9

I can certainly boast in Christ, but I cannot boast about my driving. There are times when my foot on the pedal wants to go as fast as my hurried heart on the highway. (And I’ve already explained in a previous story that none of us should ever apply lipstick while driving!)

One day while I was on the interstate heading home, I realized I was in the wrong lane and was about to miss my exit. I did what good drivers are not supposed to do: I slowed down in the middle lane, almost to a complete stop, to get over into the right lane. (I did put my turn signal on, but it was at the very last minute!) My action was definitely the wrong thing to do, but the precious driver behind me responded with grace and slowed down so I could get over. When he passed me, I waved a thank-you. When he waved in response, my heart could have floated right up to heaven in relief. I momentarily looked up, my eyes welling up with tears. That simple act of grace caused me to worship and thank God for His protection for all involved and for His amazing grace—undeserved, unsolicited, and free.

God is like that man in the car every second of every day. Jesus gives us total access to God. He doesn’t just squeeze us in when He has a spare second, but instead He opens up His treasure and time and power to guide us on our journey home. He does not require a perfect-living record either, and we can’t lose our license! He helps us to successfully maneuver the daily traffic called life. He’s our lifetime Driving Instructor.

The next time you’re out on the road, thank God for His grace. Be a courteous driver and model grace to others. It just may be the only kind thing that happens to someone all day.