Excuses

It is amazing the excuses we come up with in order to get out of sticky situations.   A child will offer up the idea that writing on the wall was an “accident.”  We say that we are going to start eating right and

exercising, but we will start on…?  Hmm, used that excuse before?  Excuses abound for all times and for all circumstances.  What about when we are cross with someone?  We say things like, “Well, I would act better if you would stop making me get up on the wrong side of the bed” or “I said those things because you are driving me crazy.” 
 

People get angry at police officers after they are pulled over for breaking the law.  They inevitably give the excuse that other people speed and go much faster than they were going.  Many will say that “everyone” does a “rolling stop” there.  It ends up sounding much like the things parents punish their children for saying like “all my friends’ parents let them stay up late” or “my friends’ parents are letting them go to the party without adult supervision.”    

 

There are people who even give excuses about God and church.  Things like: “I’m too tired and cannot get up that early for church to be there at 10:30 in the morning.”  “I don’t have anything to wear.”  “The pews are too hard (too soft).”  “The temperature in the sanctuary is too hot (too cold)."  “The sermon is too long (too… Well, okay!  I am not sure I have ever had anyone come up to me asking for the sermons to be longer!)."  “Those people in church are big hypocrites.”  People even try to give the excuse that they are not sure God exists.

Romans 1:19-20 (NLT) They know the truth about God because he has made it obvious to them.  For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God.

What is your excuse?  What is stopping you from falling head over heels in love with the Creator?  What is stopping you from longing more and more for him and fellowship with his children?  Try going out tonight and watching the sunset.  Look at its beauty declaring there is a God (ref. Psalm 19:1-6).  There is no language barrier for looking at all of creation and knowing that God exists.  We “have no excuse for not knowing God.”  Find the awe and wonder of God in your life today that breaks through all excuses.  Look to strengthen that awe of God through the fellowship with God’s children that meet together at church every week.  What excuse are you going to give after God’s word has declared that we have “no excuse?”

In Christ alone and continuing in prayer,
Chad