Dear friends:

God doesn't let me get away with anything.  It's because He loves me.

The other day, UPS delivered a package to me.  It was not something I had ordered, but I had to open it to be sure.  The company is reputable and I knew I could get a refund, so I sealed up the package to return to UPS, after getting a return authorization from the company.

I tried to drop the package off at a UPS store but they would not take it, telling me I had to call for a pickup, which I did.

The next day the UPS man came for the pickup.  To my dismay, he closely examined the box and surprisingly asked, "Did you open it?"

"What?"  I reasoned to myself, "What difference does it make?"  While I was reasoning, he said, "If it has been opened, I cannot take it."

That was a blow.  Again I asked myself, "What difference does it make?"  I then made a decision to lie about it.  I told him, "No, it has not been opened."  But he could see my tape so he was dubious.  I think he knew I lied.  He looked at me funny, but he was nice about it and accepted the box and left.

Again I reasoned to myself, "But it was not a whopper lie.  Just a little one.  Like a little white one.  Don't worry about it."  (That was probably the devil whispering in my ear.)

I went back into the house and sat down.  I was not at peace.  My conscience was bothering me.  I knew I had done wrong and it was really eating on me.  I knew I had to do something.  We are supposed to live this life, not just talk about it.

So I devised a clever plan.  "Aha," I reasoned. "I will go to the front door and if he is still here I will tell him the truth." But I knew that UPS guys typically jump on their trucks and rush off, always on a tight schedule.  It was highly unlikely that he would still be there, but my conscience would have been assuaged by my sanctimonious effort.  I felt my effort would be safe, my box would be on its way, and my conscience would be clear.  It would be worth the effort. Not a bad deal, I thought.

So I went to my front door, opened it, looked at the street -- and lo and behold, there he was!  Yikes!  The UPS truck was still there!  Oh, no!

He was within 3 seconds of pulling out.  (God's timing is amazing.)  I knew what I had to do.  I flagged him down and asked him to wait.

Even though it was raining, I ran out to the truck and admitted my lie.  He was nice about it and laughed, again explaining why he could not take the box if it had been opened, and telling me what I had to do -- get a new shipping label from the company and call for another pickup.  This seemed like a cumbersome procedure to me, but it was their procedure and I had to live with it.

He left in his big brown truck, and I returned to the house, actually laughing and full of joy.  I had experienced the Holy Spirit!  I repented and was washed in the precious blood.  What a Savior!

I was greatly moved that God loved me enough to correct me on this seemingly minor matter.  But it was not minor to God.  He is getting me ready for eternity, and nothing is minor to the process.

I was also stirred at how God had carefully orchestrated the situation.  The UPS man would not normally linger in front of my house.  He would normally be out of there, quickly. But down to the exact second, God caused him to linger just long enough for me to get back to my door and hail him.  That was amazing timing, and supernatural, I am persuaded!

All praise and honor to the Holy One of Israel.  He is interested in even the little things in our lives, and He loves us too much to let us falter.

Jim