After loading the kids in the car, we began the journey home from an afternoon lunch with friends. It’s not typical that I would put myself in the drivers seat with my husband in the car, but for some unknown reason I took control of the wheel sailing down a quiet country road towards home.

This particular road we were travelling is downhill when heading back in the city. As my children chattered in the backseat, my husband piped up that the strategically placed grey car to my right side caught the fact that my wheels were moving faster than I may have intended them to go.

I have never been pulled over by a police officer. I have never had a parking ticket let alone one for speeding. And in a split second, I knew my ignorance was going to cost me my clean record. Within moments I had pulled over the car, put my drivers license in hand, and awaited the officers appearance at my window. My husband had a guilty look upon his face when he shared the news that he had just received the new car insurance papers but had forgotten to put them in the car.

So, there I waited guilty and without the proof I needed.

Dark tinted glasses peered through my window. The first words that stumbled out of my mouth caught the officer by surprise as I shared, “Completely my fault because I wasn’t paying attention Sir. I apologize.”

He responded with few words, took the documents offered, and sucked his teeth when we confessed to not having the proper insurance papers. As he walked away my our eldest child piped up from her seat, “You told the truth mom. That’s what matters.”

My husband was gentle when he delivered to me the not-so-good news. Because I was sailing downhill, I was likely way over the speed limit which would qualify for a hefty fine and the loss of several points on my driving record. And the insurance papers would require me to head downtown to the police station to produce the proof and pay a second fine in doing so. I felt sadness wash over me as I sat in silence awaiting the verdict of my guilty plea.

When the officer approached our car for the second time, something had changed in his demeanour. There was kindness and mercy in his actions. And there was happiness in his voice when he shared that he would let me off with a warning in regards to the insurance papers and lower the speed at which I was travelling in order to spare me a large chunk of change because I had clean driving record. There would be a consequence to my actions, but the price I would pay did not compare to the price I deserved to pay.

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.
Ephesians 2:8-9

In the eyes of the law in this world, I deserved to slapped with an expensive ticket, docked points on my record, and forced to hauled myself into the police station to produce the small pink slip declaring my proof. But here stood a man in my defence who would take the charge against me and wash it away.

The police officer bestowed unto me grace. Undeserved; unmerited favour. The officer did not have to release me from my transgression. He wanted to release me from my transgression. And this is the very same way the Lord bestows grace upon us, His children. God sent His Son to release us from our transgressions because He wants to release us from our transgressions. Though we deserve to pay the penalty for our sin- whether we are ignorant to it or not- God does not desire for His children to suffer.

But let us not be ignorant of the truth that it does not mean consequences do not exist. Life lessons are given to us for learning. Undeserved and unmerited favour just simply means that no matter what we do or how we sin against the kingdom, God’s love for us is never ceasing, and the greatest joy we can ever experience is to witness His love in action tucked into the life lessons we are given.

Father, your grace upon my life is undeserved. This I know, and I am forever thankful. Help me to not only witness the power of your unmerited favour, but help me to extend the same favour unto all others. In Jesus name, amen.