Nick and I had just rejoined the main road after taking a detour, that
included another detour. The best stretch of road laid before us, with just a
semi between us and it, so ignoring the double yellow, we passed safely with no
traffic in sight. A few seconds later our mirrors filled with the flashing
lights from the sheriff-busted. We pulled over, and as he approached us, he
looked at us and said “oh you guys again,” he had recognized us from the
detour,as he was the one who turned us to it. He was cool, asked us to be
careful, and issued no tickets, with a verbal warning how he had responded to a
fatal motorcycle accident there once. Telling us to “ride safe,” he left.
Later we found out he had just left the scene of a barricaded man killing
himself. You never know.....
I was riding the first Street Twin on the road, with a target date of
Thursday 9am for a Rider magazine cover shoot. 500 miles by then should be no
big deal as it was Tuesday afternoon, when the CHP’s lights came on. I had been
doing 84 in a 65 zone, and he asked for the paperwork. He had trouble
understanding the Georgia distributor plate and no papers for it, and as I
explained about my ride and the bike, he got even more confused. He then
admitted he rode, please keep the speed down, and opening his ticket book, told
me “to act like I was signing a ticket in case anyone went by and looked.” Why
I don’t know, but I did, and we parted ways.....
It was November in 1975, and the 55 mph national speed limit in full
effect. Riding through the panhandle of Florida, again the lights came on and I
was pulled over. 60 in a 55, which could get me life in front of a firing
squad, or a sizable ticket, this had become a great revenue enhancer for the
state. Receiving the ticket, I took off, and a few days later made it to
Albuquerque, my new home. But looking at the ticket, I saw I had a court date
of November 31st, and writing them, and advising them I could find no November
31st on my calendar, I never heard from them, and of course never paid it. I
wonder, was the trooper inept or just giving me a break. I never went back to
ask.
When the Wildman called me and asked me to ride his friend into Newark so
he could get his paycheck, I obliged. The two of us on my R90S rode down Route
22, and then getting off, again going faster than 55, when a Newark police
cruiser pulled us over. The officer chided me, then proceeded to tell me “if
you think your bike is fast, I got a 440 under the hood, and at 120 mph will run
up your exhaust pipes.” Think of a fully tuned Blues Brother mobile, cop tires,
cop motor, etc. He was big and intimidating, and Newark was the Oakland of New
Jersey, mean and avoided when possible. Bummed and cheesed off, we got his
check and returned home. When reading the ticket, it said court was on December
24th in Newark at 800 pm, Christmas Eve. I had planned on fighting it and with
my friend as witness complaining about the treatment we had received. But when
calling the court clerk to confirm I was going to contest it, was told “we have
no court on Christmas Eve, that man was funnin’ you.” As the ticket number was
nowhere to be found. Funnin’ or not, I was free of any court visit and fine,
and both of us will never know if at 120 if he would run up my exhaust pipes.
He had caught me once.....no second chance given.
In Psalm 51 David asks God for his tender mercy, according to his unfailing
love. Blot out my transgressions, was away my iniquity, and cleanse me from my
sin. Quite a request, but not unto a loving God. We do not deserve mercy, the
only way to get it is to screw up, but through Jesus Christ we can obtain it.
It cannot be earned, no time served or fine will obtain it, it like grace is a
gift. Some of the sweetest words you will ever hear,”you are forgiven.” It is
when we realize that sin is a crime, and we need to be forgiven of it, that we
truly repent, and just don’t say we are sorry. Sin is a falling away that
creates a division between us and God, and only Jesus can heal it, so let him.
He then ask him to blot out his transgressions, his sin. Sin is like a debt and
must be paid for, the wages of sin is death. Payable upon demand at death. It
accumulates, and we add to the ledger daily as it grows and it needs to be
erased. Again no price paid except the death of Jesus on the cross could pay
for it. In full of course.
But David then sees that there is a basis for our forgiveness, that we
don’t deserve it and cannot bargain for it. It takes a just and loving God to
forgive, and forget, to blot it out as if it never occurred. God is not bound
to forgive anyone, but in his unending love, in his patience he wants none of us
to perish from sin, and is ready to forgive us when we repent. If it were not
for the unending love God offers us through Jesus Christ, we never could
approach God, but because of God’s love we can, and can ask for forgiveness. And
receive it. He also sees the compassionate side of God, how he is not a penny
pincher when it comes to forgiveness, doling it out as he sees fit a little at a
time, like we would or do. His forgiveness goes far beyond anything we can
imagine or comprehend, not by drips or drops, but by pouring it out
overflowing. Can we say the same?
God then throws our sin into the sea, with a NO FISHING sign so that no one
may ever find it. It is gone, hidden, forgiven, and forgotten. A fishing hole
we never need to seek or fish at ever. We have been saved through grace, not on
our own, and we need never revisit our sin again. As far as east is from west,
keep riding east and you’ll never meet the west, the ocean representing the
depth of where our sin was thrown. With valleys in it that are as high as the
highest mountain peaks. That is God’s forgiveness, maybe we need a little help
with ours toward others, and ourselves. In the four cases above I was shown
mercy in each case by the law, which kills. Grace forgives and gives life, if
only sometimes another chance to ride and get pulled over again. But God’s
mercies extend forever. Which is a long, long time.....
We will not turn for our sin until we realize it is wrong, then we will
change. Jesus stands ready to forgive, to forget, to throw it all away where it
can never be found and brought against us. Perry Mason got many off on
loopholes, there are none for sin. So quit studying to find one for your
actions, God has provided the way in Jesus. No hidden verse allowing sin, of
getting drunk, of doing drugs, of sex outside of marriage. Its wages are death,
and it can be a slow death. Or a great life....when forgiven. so don’t drink
and you will never become high, no pot, no habits for stronger drugs, and no
porn, no sex outside of marriage. And let me add, no 136 in a 55 zone, but that
is another story for another time. Which I can only tell because I was forgiven
them too. According to his unfailing love, only found in Jesus Christ. His
will be done, he wishes us to know Jesus, do you? The police car said “to
protect and serve.” Only Jesus can do both and forgive also. Or you can take
your chances with the law...and as the song goes “I fought the law and the law
won.” Now who’s funnin’ who?
love with compassion,
Mike
matthew25biker.blogspot.com