My Accuser and the One Who Stood In Between

It was Sunday morning, and I was frantically trying to find a parking slot so I could get inside the sanctuary. It didn't help that I was already about 10 minutes late, but driving around the lot added another 5 more. "At this rate, I wouldn't even be able to catch the singing" I thought to myself.

Finally, I spotted one. As I was driving down the communal lane, where cars would pass to get in and out of parking aisles, I saw one car at the very end (the side nearest to me) with its brake lights on. I surveyed the area, there was no one behind me, no one in front of me, and no one in that particular parking aisle waiting for the car to come out. "YES THANK YOU LORD" I thought to myself. I turned on my signal light to motion that I was waiting for the slot. Since the vehicle that was leaving was parked at the very end, I didn't want to enter the lane and block him from coming out. So I waited.

Just then, from the other end of the lane, I saw a black sedan roll into the parking aisle. It seemed to have spotted the car I was waiting for as it exited and sped up to claim the spot. Totally ignoring that I was there and I had my signal light on. The car that was leaving took its time exiting his slot, when another car pulled up from behind me. I didn't want to make the vehicle behind me wait for too long, so I turned left into the aisle I was waiting for, but left just enough room for the car I was waiting for to pull out of his slot. The black sedan was still there, but then suddenly turned his signal light on to motion that he intended to take the slot.

(Mind you, the black sedan wasn't even supposed to enter the lane from the end that he came from, Cars were only to enter from my end of the lane, because the parking slots we slanted and appeared on the right. Not sure if that makes any sense if you could picture it in your mind, I made a [crappy looking] illustration below to help you understand better.)

I'm the blue car, waiting for the red car to leave his spot. Cars are only supposed to enter into the aisle from my side.
The black sedan came in from the other end, which 1) is against the rules and 2)  would make it impossible for him to enter the slot.

By the time I turned into the aisle, the other car which we were both waiting for pulled out completely from the slot and started to drive off. I motioned to the black sedan that I was about to enter into the slot and take it. I don't think he understood me, so he motioned back for me to go ahead. But by the time I took the slot, he honked his horn, rolled down his window and started shouting at me.

"WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING???" 

"Sir, I've since been waiting over there in that corner for that car to come out." 

"YEAH, WELL I'VE BEEN WAITING HERE THREE MINUTES"

He wouldn't stop screaming. His eyes were wide open, like I've done him a serious wrong. And I sighed to myself and decided that this wasn't a battle I wanted to have today. So punched my car in reverse and started backing up slowly to leave.

All of a sudden, the man who had just vacated the slot stepped out of his car and started walking towards us. He signaled for me to stop backing up and take the slot, as he approached the black sedan.

I didn't know what they talked about. But the man was making these hand gestures that looked like he was defending me. He saw everything happen, from the time I arrived at my corner, waiting for him to leave, until the time the man in the black sedan rolled down his window and started screaming at me. 

The guy in the black sedan was obviously furious. He fled the scene hurriedly, as the gentleman who defended me walked away. I wanted to thank him, but by the time I shut my engine off and stepped out of my car, he was gone.

Meanwhile, as I was walking towards the sanctuary, the black sedan came around the corner again still looking for parking and our eyes met. Obviously still upset over what just happened, he revved up his car and drove like mad, almost attempting to do me a side-swipe.. While I was walking. In a church parking lot. In broad daylight.

SEE JESUS IN EVERYTHING

I finally reached the sanctuary and sat down. I wanted to sob so loud. I had never been harassed like that before. But the service had already begun, so all I could do was let my tears roll and cry quietly to myself. I played the scenario over and over in my mind. "Was that okay? Was I wrong?" I kept asking myself.

But then I think about the man who got in between me and my harasser. The one who saw everything and justified my actions. In a way it reminded me of the gospel.

FIND EVERYTHING IN JESUS

Though the enemy may accuse me of my many sins, no matter how true he may be, he is silenced by the Power of the Cross. And while we may be up against many forces, be it the world, Satan, or our own flesh, that will hinder us from speaking the Truth - there is One who stands in between. He is our Redeemer, our Mediator, our Defender. The One who is righteous and holy and merciful. The One who sees all - and has seen even all your shortcomings and hangups, yet sees it through the eyes of grace, by the Blood of the Lamb.

Before the throne of God above

I have a strong, a perfect plea;

a great High Priest, whose name is Love,

who ever lives and pleads for me.

My name is graven on his hands,

my name is written on his heart;

I know that while in heaven he stands

no tongue can bid me thence depart,

no tongue can bid me thence depart.