Thought for the week

THE recent news story about the head-on motorcycle accident involving a young British man, Harry Dunn, is outrageous. Such things, of course, happen from time to time.

However, what makes this case truly shocking is the way in which Anne Sacoolas, the prime suspect, was able to claim diplomatic immunity and flee the UK because her husband, Jonathan, is a US diplomat. It’s to be hoped the US administration will waive diplomatic immunity and return Anne to the UK for questioning, but I’m not hopeful. Thirty-five years ago I was young and forthright. Today, I’m still forthright, but now have a bus pass. Back then, I once confronted a very respectable-looking lady emerging from a cinema and told her that unless she accepted Jesus’ offer of salvation, she would face eternity without God. Understandably annoyed, she insisted that she hadn’t committed any sins. Yet, the Bible says otherwise. I strongly doubt you’ve ever killed anyone in a motorcycle accident. And yet the smallest impure thought, most trivial act of schoolboy pilfering or half-truth on your tax return form causes a perfectly holy God to hide His face from you.

Far more shocking than the circumstances of this hit-and-run case is the stark reality that this allpowerful Saviour left His eternal throne, stooped down into human history as a tiny baby and chose to die an unspeakably horrible death on a cross for our salvation. Most shocking of all is that He longs to offer ‘diplomatic immunity’ to you. Regardless of how you’ve lived your life, He promises that all who accept Him as Lord and Saviour will have the slate wiped clean. Amazing grace.