The Police Car

3-24-2010
The Police Car

Have you ever noticed your driving habits change when a police officer is right behind you? I suppose you don’t normally slam on the breaks randomly while you are driving down the highway? Do we slow down when we see a police officer and mind our manners when they are right behind us because we want to be a good driver? NO…it’s because we don’t want a ticket!

We tend to live our lives like this at times as well. Christ doesn’t want us to behave properly so we don’t get caught. He doesn’t even want us to behave because it’s the right thing to do. God wants us to WANT to do the right thing because of the transformation that takes place by accepting Christ into our lives. As a result of a transformation, we change the way we think and see the world.
Romans 12:1-2 says it best:

1Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. 2Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”

Author, John Ortberg, sums this concept up well when he says, “God doesn’t want forced compliance. God is so immense that if he were “too visible,” people would give forced compliance without expressing their heart. So God makes it possible, in enormous love, for us to live as if he were not there.”

The last phrase of the quote is of extreme importance…”as if he were not there.” Bottom line: God sees all, so let’s stop acting like he just pulled up behind us in a squad car at random times in our lives. God wants us to be real, and in order for us to be real we must transform BACK into the person God created us to be. We are made in His image, but the world transforms us into “its” image. Let’s eat and drink to the fullest the life God has in store for us!