Put the pedal to the metal,” Jeremy sang out to his little brother, Josh, as they rode together on the motorized golf cart. Probably Jeremy just liked the sound of the words. It is a little rhyme that car or truck drivers sometimes say when they want other drivers ahead of them to speed up. It means to press the gas pedal down as far as it will go. Jeremy knew very well that it wasn’t safe to make the golf cart go at top speed. He also knew that his father had told him many times not to try it.
Jeremy loved to drive the golf cart around, and usually he drove it carefully and safely. Today he was feeling extra happy because his dad had let him take his three-year-old brother for a ride. “Put the pedal to the metal,” Jeremy sang out again as he steered the cart around a corner. To Josh it sounded like a fun idea since Jeremy was doing the steering and letting him press the gas pedal. He decided to try pressing it down as far as it would go and see what happened.
And we know that when we do something we shouldn’t, we often end up in trouble. In Jeremiah 17:1010I the Lord search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings. (Jeremiah 17:10) the Lord Jesus says, “I the Lord search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways and according to the fruit of his doings.” Does the Lord Jesus ever look down into your heart and see that you want to find out just how far you can go into sin without getting caught? We’re all like that. Verse 9 reminds us that our hearts are deceitful above all things and desperately wicked. Romans 3:22,2322Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: 23For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; (Romans 3:22‑23) tell us that “there is no difference: for all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” That means that every one of us has failed to meet God’s standard of only doing what is right. But another verse tells us the best news we’ll ever hear in this world. “In whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace.” Ephesians 1:77In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace; (Ephesians 1:7). Even though we are sinners, we can have our sins forgiven.
Josh was too short to press the gas pedal all the way down while he sat on the seat. He grabbed the steering wheel to steady himself on the lurching golf cart as he slid off the seat and jammed his foot hard against the pedal, pressing it all the way down to the metal floor of the cart. The cart took off like lightening!
Jeremy tried frantically to keep the cart on the path, but he couldn’t do it with Josh clutching the steering wheel. The cart crashed into a tree, throwing Jeremy hard against the steering wheel and Josh against the front panel.
So the boys had the “fruit of [their] doings”; the results were a broken rib and a badly cut knee. Two hurting and sober boys were rushed to the hospital.
With the help of the doctor, the broken bone and cuts were healed. But only the Lord Jesus can heal a sinful heart. Faith in His precious blood shed on the cross will cleanse us from all sin. Have you ever come to Him to have your sins washed away? Jesus said, “Him that cometh to Me I will in no wise cast out.” John 6:3737All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. (John 6:37). Won’t you come to Him right now? His offer will soon be over, but right now the Lord Jesus is still calling lost sinners to come to Himself and be forgiven.
How about you?
ML-11/27/1994