None of us like to be refused permission, but like it or not, the world is full of hoops to jump through in order to win approval.

Some of that jumping takes place at local DMVs, Department of Motor Vehicles. Although today was Birgitta’s last day at home for quite a while, we had to spend several hours working on three stressful projects:

1.  Replacing her misplaced driver’s license

2.  Updating her car’s license plate sticker

3.  Switching the plates from IL to MI

4.  Applying for a car title with her name on it

Before leaving the house, we tallied our documents: birth certificate, two pieces of mail addressed to her, her social security card, the car title, student ID, proof of valid insurance, checkbook. Rumor has it it’s difficult to get approval in the state of Michigan, and we’d already been turned down once for incomplete documentation.

As we clutched our items and drove to the DMV, my mind drifted back to May of 2009, when Nate and I were trying to establish Michigan residency. It was a daisy chain of approvals that had to occur in the correct order: first, register to vote, but that couldn’t happen without getting a driver’s license, which couldn’t happen without Michigan no-fault insurance.

We were excited to be moving to Michigan, anxious to get legal. Nate’s back pain was severe that day, so I drove the 20 miles while he tipped back in his seat, closing his eyes. Once we got there, he made good use of the hour-long wait by setting up Michigan insurance on his cell phone, after which we worked with DMV personnel at separate desks.

At the end of two hours they told me, “Everything’s in order. Here’s your license.” But poor Nate. He heard, “Sorry, big guy. This piece of mail doesn’t qualify,” and was denied. I saw his shoulders drop as he realized he’d have to go through the whole process again.

Two weeks later we returned toting complete documents but found the office closed.

Today Birgitta and I stood together at a high counter at the mercy of the woman across from us. She had the power to approve or disapprove Birgitta’s attempt to become a Michigander. Although the outcome was important since she needed a new license, I thought of another outcome far more critical: approval by God.

All of us want mercy in eternity, and because of Christ’s death in our stead, we can have it. Repentance of sin and belief in this Savior are the only “documents” needed. The biggest difference between getting Michigan citizenship and citizenship in heaven is that we have to prove ourselves in the first case and have already been approved in the second.

This afternoon, despite two major set-backs, we walked out of the DMV with all 4 tasks completed.

As for Nate, when he and I readied to make our third trip there, we learned he wouldn’t need to become a Michigander after all. He was on his way to merciful, pre-approved existence in heaven.

“Am I now trying to win the approval of men or of God?” (Galatians 1:10)