Guilty

A while back I was driving and ran through a red light, but I didn’t do it intentionally. I just wasn’t paying attention. Worse yet, I did it right in front of a police officer. Immediately, I saw the flashing lights in my rearview mirror, so I pulled over, rolled down my window, and put my hands on the steering wheel.

When the officer walked up and asked for my driver’s license and insurance, I simply said, “Officer, I’m really sorry. I was wrong. I wasn’t paying attention. It’s my fault.” I was fully prepared to get a ticket, because I deserved it.

But then the officer said, “Listen, I’m going to let you off with a warning, because most people don’t admit it when they’re wrong. And since you did, I’m going to let you go with a warning.”

We don’t want to admit to God that we’re wrong. We don’t want to admit to God that we’ve sinned and broken His commandments, but that’s what we need to do.

Who among us has not broken one of the Ten Commandments? Have you ever had another god before Him? Have you ever taken the Lord’s name in vain? Have you ever stolen anything? Have you ever lied?

Every one of us has broken God’s commandments. Yet God didn’t give them to us to make us holy. He gave them to us to show how unholy we are and to open our eyes and shut our mouths.

The Bible says, “For the person who keeps all of the laws except one is as guilty as a person who has broken all of God’s laws” (James 2:10 NLT).

The Ten Commandments drive us into the open arms of Jesus because we can’t live by these standards on our own. Are you feeling hopeless today? Jesus can come into your life and forgive all your sin. Hope has a name, and it’s Jesus Christ.