EZ Tag, Hard Roads, and the God Who Pays the Toll Anyway
Jesus never promised an EZ road.
I finally did it.
After months—of living here —of pretending toll roads were someone else’s problem, I bought an EZ Tag.
Not because I suddenly became responsible.
But because I had accumulated roughly $600 in toll bills.
Apparently, the state of Texas has very strong feelings about you using their roads without paying.
Who knew?
So there I was, standing in my kitchen, debit card in hand, typing in my zip code, connecting accounts, registering license plates—doing all the things I should’ve done a long time ago.
And I remember thinking:
“They call this thing an EZ Tag… but there was nothing easy about getting here.”
Which got me thinking.
A lot of life works like that.
We All Pay Tolls (Whether We Like It or Not)
Every road costs something.
Some tolls are obvious—money, time, energy.
Others are invisible—grief, disappointment, trauma, loss.
You don’t see the booth coming until you’re already on the road.
And here’s the thing about tolls:
You don’t get to argue with them.
You either pay…
or you rack up debt that eventually shows up with interest.
I recently met a woman who was older than her years.
You could see it in her eyes, her posture, the way she carried silence.
Her toll bill had been higher than most.
Loss stacked on loss.
Pain that arrived early and stayed late.
Roads she didn’t choose but still had to walk.
Some people don’t age because of time.
They age because of tolls.
And if you live long enough, you realize:
Everyone you meet is paying something.
Which is why Jesus never treats people like projects—He treats them like travelers.
Jesus Knew the Roads Were Expensive
Jesus never promised an EZ road.
In fact, He was pretty clear:
“In this world, you will have trouble.”
What He did promise was presence.
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”
That’s not a slogan.
That’s a roadside rescue.
Jesus understood tolls.
He understood:
grief that drains you
shame that compounds daily
fear that charges interest
sin that racks up debt faster than you can pay
And instead of yelling at us from the toll booth saying, “Exact change only,”
He stepped into the lane with us.
Immanuel.
God with us.
Not God yelling directions from heaven.
Not God watching from a distance.
Grace Is Money for the Journey
If I’ve learned anything about God’s grace, it’s this:
Grace is endless.
And it’s always ready to pay for yesterday’s toll
and prepare you for tomorrow’s road.
Grace doesn’t shame you for how long you waited to sign up.
Grace just says, “Let’s get you where you’re going.”
Some of us are exhausted not because we’re weak—
but because we’ve been trying to pay tolls we were never meant to cover alone.
Grace is not a one-time transaction.
It’s an account that never runs dry.
And unlike the state of Texas, God doesn’t add late fees.
EZ Tags and Hard Roads
I stood there holding that EZ Tag thinking:
“They call it easy…but some roads are anything but.”
Forgiveness is not easy.
Love is not easy.
Staying tender in a hard world is not easy.
Remaining Pretty when People Get Ugly With You…
Preaching the gospel in a divided culture is not easy.
But here’s the difference:
I don’t stay on the road because it’s easy.
I stay on the road because Jesus is with me.
His presence gives me strength to:
stay on the toll road of forgiveness
resist the exit ramp of bitterness
refuse the shortcut of hate
keep loving all people
keep preaching good news in bad seasons
An EZ Tag won’t save your soul.
But Emmanuel will walk with you through every mile.
RULES OF A TOLL ROAD:
Every road has a cost
If someone looks worn, assume they’ve paid a toll you don’t know about.
Unpaid tolls always come due
Avoidance doesn’t erase debt—it multiplies it.
Jesus doesn’t remove the road—He joins the journey
Grace is presence before it’s provision.
Grace is money for the journey, not a guilt trip for the past
God is not auditing you—He’s walking with you.
Faith isn’t about finding EZ roads—it’s about faithful staying
We don’t follow Jesus because it’s easy. We follow Him because He’s good.
I finally put the EZ Tag on my car.
But what keeps me moving isn’t a sticker on my windshield.
It’s the quiet, steady presence of Christ reminding me:
You’re not alone.
You don’t have to pay this by yourself.
And the road ahead—however costly—will not be walked without grace.
Some roads are hard.
Some tolls are heavy.
But thank God for Immanuel.
God with us.
Every mile.
The Best Is Yet To Come,
Rev. John Roberts
This is a great message! I, like everyone else, have faced difficulties in my life. But the hardest times were before I asked God to walk with me daily. That request does not remove the hard times, but it certainly does provide a presence that is always there to support and guide you!