Here's Pastor Dave McDowell's weekly devotional that he sends out to members of his church. Dave is my brother and serves as the Music Minister at Stewartstown UMC in PA.
I think the saying goes.....
.
Do as I say,
not as I do
When it comes to paying bills,
I like to think that I am on top of things.
.
I am very meticulous in noting due dates.
I always am sure to send out payments days before due dates
so that the funds arrive on time.
That's why the letter that I received was so perplexing
We are sorry to inform you
that the insurance contract
provided by our company
in regards to your car insurance
has been canceled
due to lack of payment.
I immediately ran to my check book
and looked in the register...
There it was.....
check #2363 written and sent
on Nov 23rd,
3 days before the due date
Today was Dec 17.
I had been driving uninsured for 3 weeks.
I called my local agent to solve the mystery.
The agency had never received my check.
Despite my protestations that I had indeed sent the payment,
the agent confirmed that I was a
now considered derelict
and a menace to all of humanity
who ventured onto the roads in our fair state.
I'm not sure that the words derelict and menace to humanity
are words that I am accustomed to hearing
regarding my existence as a human being.
But I sent my check, I protested.
Nevertheless,
I was an uninsured motorist.
The state now recognized me as a danger to society.
While this might have been the view of
a small portion of people who know me,
I had never before been labeled in such a way
by our government.
If you want to continue driving legally,
you need to bring a check to our office immediately, the agent said.
Let me see if I understand this, I said.
You want me to drive 12 miles illegally and unprotected to your office.
Yes, he said.
Will I be considered insured for those 12 miles
since I have in good faith expressed that I already sent a payment,
and am willing to replace that payment? I asked
Well, technically no, he stammered.
Is that like being technically pregnant?
I asked.
Nervous laughter ensued.
We are often told to live a certain way.
Do this, Don't do that.
It's parenting 101.
It's when those who issue the rules
don't follow them themselves
that we have difficulty living by them.
No parent has ever been completely consistent.
Nor any teacher,
nor boss,
no not even pastors.
When it comes to staying within the boundaries
only one has and is 100% consistent
That would be the Lord of the universe,
the author of the Ten Commandments,
the writer of the Beatitudes.
God is not only author of the Word,
He IS the Word.
John Chapter 1 describes it this way,
In the beginning was the Word,
and the Word was with God,
and the Word WAS God.
If there is one thing God can not and will not do,
it is to renege on His word,
for it is His very essence.
It is the logos,
it is the revelation of who He is.
We are given a detailed picture of that WORD
in the person of Jesus.
So the next time you hear,
Do as I say,
not as I do
You can rest assured
it is not God talking with you.
And rest assured,
the next time you need to make a decision
about a behavior or a choice,
ask Jesus.
There will be no nervous laughter from him.
On that, you have His Word.
Do as I say,
not as I do
When it comes to paying bills,
I like to think that I am on top of things.
.
I am very meticulous in noting due dates.
I always am sure to send out payments days before due dates
so that the funds arrive on time.
That's why the letter that I received was so perplexing
We are sorry to inform you
that the insurance contract
provided by our company
in regards to your car insurance
has been canceled
due to lack of payment.
I immediately ran to my check book
and looked in the register...
There it was.....
check #2363 written and sent
on Nov 23rd,
3 days before the due date
Today was Dec 17.
I had been driving uninsured for 3 weeks.
I called my local agent to solve the mystery.
The agency had never received my check.
Despite my protestations that I had indeed sent the payment,
the agent confirmed that I was a
now considered derelict
and a menace to all of humanity
who ventured onto the roads in our fair state.
I'm not sure that the words derelict and menace to humanity
are words that I am accustomed to hearing
regarding my existence as a human being.
But I sent my check, I protested.
Nevertheless,
I was an uninsured motorist.
The state now recognized me as a danger to society.
While this might have been the view of
a small portion of people who know me,
I had never before been labeled in such a way
by our government.
If you want to continue driving legally,
you need to bring a check to our office immediately, the agent said.
Let me see if I understand this, I said.
You want me to drive 12 miles illegally and unprotected to your office.
Yes, he said.
Will I be considered insured for those 12 miles
since I have in good faith expressed that I already sent a payment,
and am willing to replace that payment? I asked
Well, technically no, he stammered.
Is that like being technically pregnant?
I asked.
Nervous laughter ensued.
We are often told to live a certain way.
Do this, Don't do that.
It's parenting 101.
It's when those who issue the rules
don't follow them themselves
that we have difficulty living by them.
No parent has ever been completely consistent.
Nor any teacher,
nor boss,
no not even pastors.
When it comes to staying within the boundaries
only one has and is 100% consistent
That would be the Lord of the universe,
the author of the Ten Commandments,
the writer of the Beatitudes.
God is not only author of the Word,
He IS the Word.
John Chapter 1 describes it this way,
In the beginning was the Word,
and the Word was with God,
and the Word WAS God.
If there is one thing God can not and will not do,
it is to renege on His word,
for it is His very essence.
It is the logos,
it is the revelation of who He is.
We are given a detailed picture of that WORD
in the person of Jesus.
So the next time you hear,
Do as I say,
not as I do
You can rest assured
it is not God talking with you.
And rest assured,
the next time you need to make a decision
about a behavior or a choice,
ask Jesus.
There will be no nervous laughter from him.
On that, you have His Word.
.
1 comment:
I love this story. How many times have we all experienced something like this in our lives. Dave is a very good writer and I really like to read his weekly devotionals. I love his sense of humor. I guess that it must run in the family.
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