And it came to pass at the end of the four hundred and thirty years—on that very same day—it came to pass that all the armies of the Lord went out from the land of Egypt.” Exodus 12:41
She was waving goodbye…and I was glad. We all know there is a reason why the windshield is the largest window in a car. It is very important that we can see clearly where we are heading…where we are going. I also suppose that we understand that the side windows are also important…if not for navigation, at least for pleasure. They allow us to look around as we journey. The second largest window in the car is the rear window but without another important item…well, the rear window is rendered almost useless.
That important item is the rearview mirror. It allows us, at a glance, to see what is behind us. We get to see if another driver is impatiently following us…too closely. We can tell if they are too close by reading their expression. If you can see their scowl, then you are right…they are too close. Another thing the rearview mirror allows us to do is see what or if someone is chasing us. Imagine with me that you are driving down the road doing, let’s say, 69 in a 55 mph zone or about 14 miles per hour over the speed limit. That is probably enough to get you into trouble with whatever law enforcement is in the area.
As you top a hill or round a curve you see a police vehicle hiding or prominently sitting beside the road. It doesn’t matter because, well, it is too late. You pass by their vehicle trying to decide whether to hit the brakes, knowing that your brake lights will be an admission of guilt, or maybe just coast. Almost immediately, your rearview mirror becomes very important. You want to know if they are coming…to see if they are chasing you. Gulp. Well, like the songs says, “Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose, big time Charlie’s got the blues.”
Of course, the other purpose of the rearview mirror is to see what you just left. If it is family, you might look as they are waving goodbye. Perhaps, it might be the other side of a big, and I mean big, traffic jam you just came through. You look back and sigh or smile and are grateful it is behind you. Boy, do I know about that one. I also know the pleasure of looking in the rearview mirror of life as a less than pleasant situation slowly fades away. My most recent pleasurable goodbye was as I watched Corena waving and fading away. Oh, and if you don’t know who Corena is, check out gritswithgrace.com and search for her…trust me…she is there.
Whether it is a traffic jam or an illness or something else, it is always a good thing when something difficult finally fades away in the rearview mirror of life. What you thought would never end…does…and you are grateful. One of the most valuable life lessons we can learn is that things don’t come to stay…they come to pass. Several times in the Bible, the writer will use the term, “And it came to pass” and it means that when the time was right, things moved on. Someone once said, “My favorite verse in the Bible is, “And it came to pass…”
One source said that the Bible repeats that phrase 396 times. One of my favorites is Exodus 12:41. It says, “And it came to pass at the end of the four hundred and thirty years—on that very same day—it came to pass that all the armies of the Lord went out from the land of Egypt.” Whew. That is one long traffic jam.
“It came to pass.” I like that. While it may not be my favorite verse, I am very grateful that it is true…things don’t come to stay…they come to pass. That pesky traffic jam will soon fade. That dance with Corena, “Sorry ma’am, the music has stopped.” And here is just one more bit of really, good news. When we choose to make Creator God our Father, well, we have the confident assurance that He will be there with us through the whole thing…even if that means stepping into heaven. Regardless, take it to the bank, He’s got this. Bro. Dewayne
Grits with Grace 