The Appointment

A year ago, my car was sideswiped on a curvy road, on a rainy day.
We called our insurance company and got a repair estimate.
Since the car was eleven years old, though still in great condition, we had some decisions.
The cost of repair was quite high and we planned to get a new car anyway that Spring.

The sideswiping just pushed up the date of that purchase.
So, on our anniversary last year, we bought a new car.
I loved my minivan and wanted to get another one.
A 2020 car was purchased that day.

With the purchase, Toyota offered two years of free inspections, among other things.
My husband was interested in those other things more than me.
A year was a long way off, so there was no need to think of inspection at that time.
However, this is the month when my car needed to be inspected again.

I called and made an early appointment during the week my husband was taking vacation.
He always takes a week off to get things done around the house.
This was the week.
It was the perfect time to be without my car.

I suggested that we drop the car off early that morning and then go out to breakfast.
I know a restaurant that used to be an old bank.
The drive-through area has been converted to an outdoor patio.
It was such a perfect setting in these days of social distancing and restrictions.

My car appointment was at 8:20 am.
We arrived at 8:10 am.
There were seven cars in line ahead of me.
The dealer has two drive-in bays to drop off your car for service; only one was open.

A man in a mask came forward to inspect my car for dents or scratches.
My husband said that is to make sure a customer doesn’t accuse them of any damage.
We waited about 15 minutes before we were called into the bay.
We got out after leaving the key and put the insurance and registration on the passenger seat.

I watched a man in a mask go over to my car with a hose.
He began to spray the steering wheel, the floor, the seats, and even the seat belt.
I assumed it was for COVID protection; though they never told us they were doing that.
A young man walked over to us with a clip board.

Everything seemed so chaotic, with way too many people for a simple car drop-off.
The young man went over the things they intended to do to my car.
You will get a text in a few minutes which will go over what we are going to do.
But we just did that, I thought to myself without saying it out loud.

Do you have an appointment? The young man asked.
Yes, it was 8:20, I said, stressing the word, was, since thirty minutes had gone by.
We will text you when it is done, but there are many ahead of you, he said.
Even with an appointment? I asked.

We give priority to the people who are waiting for their car, he said.
And to the people who left their car overnight, he continued.
Then why did I make an appointment? I asked myself as my husband motioned to leave.
We walked to his car, which was parked in the lot.

This is ridiculous, I said.
I miss the place we usually take our cars.
I understood why he wanted to bring it to the dealer.
It was the first inspection after our purchase.

We went to breakfast, and then went home.
I never heard from them, so I texted them at 1:00.
I will text you when you car is in the shop, the man answered.
ASAP, he promised.

At 3:00, I texted again.
It was still not done.
At 4:30, I got a text that my car was ready to be picked up.
How could they have my car all day long when I had an 8:30am appointment?

My husband looked at the bill.
Even though the inspection was free, the emissions test was not, but that is to be expected.
However, they charged us for the COVID disinfectant spray.
We were never told they planned to do that, nor were we asked if we wanted them to do it.

 And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment, so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him. (Hebrews 9:27,28)

My 8:20 appointment meant nothing.
People waiting for their car came before those who made appointments.
People who dropped their car off the night before came before appointments as well.
My 8:20 appointment was just a formality.

However, one day, each of us will have an appointment with death that we must keep.
The day and time of our death has been determined by God, who holds our life in His hands.
We do not know when that day will be.
We do know that the day will indeed come.

It matters for us to be ready for that appointment.
There is no waiting on that day.
On that day, no spray disinfectant can wash away our sins.
Only the blood of Jesus, covering us when we come to Him in faith, can do that.

Only the blood of Jesus disinfects and washes the stain of sin away.
We do not have to pay for this cleaning.
The payment has already been paid by our Lord Jesus on the cross.
Jesus paid the debt of our sin once and for all.

Our appointment will come; we must be ready.
In Jesus alone, we are clean, forgiven, and eternally saved.
Take time to ponder the appointment.
There is still time.