Miracle on Hwy 117

Don't ever let anyone tell you a Preacher's Wife is above the law. She may be outrunning it to the tune of 73 mph in a 55 mph zone, but eventually that long arm stretches out and snaps her back.

And it's awfully embarrassing.

Yes, I got pulled over by the state trooper this week while running late to my son's field trip. (Can you hear my husband saying, 'Imagine that?' Oh, he's such a smart aleck! :) It was quite a paradoxical moment - the cop stalking his prey and the prey praying, "Jesus, help me! You know I can't afford a speeding ticket at Christmas!"

My being stopped for bending the speed limit was eventually going to happen. I just really hate it happened in my small town in front of our local attorney whose parents go to our church. I went ahead and waved at him while the cop was following me with the blue lights blazing to get it out of the way. No use acting like he didn't see me or vice versa. Besides that, it was possible I may need his services to get me out of the pokey.

Anyway, here's the cool part.

The policeman eventually stopped me on a side street and approached the car. I was trying to work up a good cry but my aggravation over being late for the field trip far outweighed my self-pity. Besides, I could tell this dude meant business and no amount of snot-slinging was going to get me out of this one. I rolled down the window and he said, in a deep manly voice, "How are you today, ma'am?"

Me: "Umm. Not so great?"

Him: "Well you are better than you think."

Me: "Why's that?"

Him: "I don't exactly know what happened but as soon as I clocked you speeding, my equipment went haywire. Policy says I can't write you a ticket if my equipment is malfunctioning."

Me: "Well, then, praise the Lord! All those 'Help Me, Jesus' prayers I said when I flew past you must have really helped!"

Him (Not appearing amused): "He may have helped you but now I have to spend the rest of the day figuring out what is wrong with my equipment. You can go but SLOW. IT. DOWN."

And you can not imagine the relief that flooded over me. I turned around in a driveway and had to pass the policeman again. He flashed his lights and motioned me to stop. When I rolled down my window he said, "You aren't going to believe this, but my equipment is working perfectly fine now. I don't know what's going on. This has never happened before!"

Me (looking amused): Well, I guess Jesus really does love me then!

Him: Well, He must not love me. He just ruined my stop.

Me: Oh, yeah. He loves you, too.

And when I drove away, I kicked myself for not adding, "And maybe He caused all this just to tell you."

And isn't that what a miracle is? God's way of pulling us over from the rush of our everyday to say, "Wow! Jesus really does love me!" It's the child getting a bag full of toys when he was expecting none. The grieving mom discovering she made it through one more day without her son. The shepherd 2000 years ago receiving the greatest birth announcement ever proclaimed.

And a woman like me receiving much more grace than she deserves.

Yes, Jesus does love me. And He loves you, too. Sometimes, we just need to be reminded His favor rests on us.

And maybe He pulled me over so I would make a point to tell you.

"Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests."

Luke 2:14

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