Yesterday when I came out from church after Good Friday service I had a ticket on the window of the car. It was for not parking over 15 feet from the fire hydrant. Do police carry a tape measure? There was a green line on the curb of McKinney Avenue and it was about a foot from the hydrant. I parked approximately 10 feet from the line so about 11 feet from it. Not having received a ticket in over 35 years I was a bit shaken. I would have preferred to have received a letter from the city with an invoice for $150 instead of this encroachment. I struggled several hours before I had peace about this situation. I truly know that the Lord allowed this incident to happen for my good (Romans 8:28). Was this my test regarding control? To make the matter more severe after church I had given a generous annoymous gift to a needy friend and my first thought was this is not right as a ticket is no reward for doing something good? I am being brutally honest. Am I a Peter struggling with control? Yes, I am. I must understand sow and reap means leaving the reaping in God’s timing!

I do not approve of the violent uprisings happening in our country but I wonder what will eventually occur when “regular” folks are continually put upon by the government in almost all areas of our lives. Where is our freedom? Where is our liberty?

The comfort I daily receive is thinking back to biblical times and the horrible conditions people endured from the Egyptians to the Romans. Yet it is like Scripture almost glosses over that element in order to let us know environment is nothing compared with the glory that is in us and with us.

Fred, your closing line is very thought provoking. “live into that promise” I had never seen that before and it is much more challening than “live the promise” for “live into that promise” means our process is developing – which it is. Thanks again for your wonderful wisdom. What a rare and beautiful gift you have been given and how tenderly you share it with us!