The Speeding Ticket

Grace allows you to love God and do as you please. For when you love God, you will do as He pleases.—Augustine

When Billy Graham was driving through a small southern town, he was stopped by a policeman and charged with speeding. Graham admitted his guilt, but was told by the officer that he would have to appear in court. The judge asked, “Guilty, or not guilty?” When Graham pleaded guilty, the judge replied, “That'll be ten dollars—a dollar for every mile you went over the limit.”

Suddenly the judge recognized the famous minister. “You have violated the law,” he said. “The fine must be paid, but I am going to pay it for you.” He took a ten dollar bill from his own wallet, attached it to the ticket, and then took Graham out and bought him a steak dinner! “That,” said Billy Graham, “is how God treats repentant sinners!”

Grace is a much-debated subject in our day. What does it mean and how does it affect our lives each day? While many of us have been taught that grace is God’s unmerited favor on us, how does that apply to us?

I once read this author’s explanation of grace, “When a person works an eight-hour day and receives a fair day's pay for his time, that is a wage. When a person competes with an opponent and receives a trophy for his performance, that is a prize. When a person receives appropriate recognition for his long service or high achievements, that is an award. But when a person is not capable of earning a wage, can win no prize, and deserves no award—yet receives such a gift anyway—that is a good picture of God's unmerited favor. This is what we mean when we talk about the grace of God.”

We don’t deserve grace. It’s not the result of anything we have done or even could have done. It is solely God’s love outpoured on us.

Grace should affect how we live. Not that we should take grace for granted and live carelessly, but that we should allow it to change us. As today’s quote says, when we love God, we will do as He pleases. When we truly love God and realize the precious gift of grace, it will transform our lives to follow His will.

Source: Daily in the Word