Excuses.....Everyone Has One!

          

          Sitting in my Communications class, I listened while the professor addressed the students.  “Attendance in my class is mandatory if you plan to pass my class,” he said.  “We have some kind of activity every single day and you can’t afford to miss any of them.  I will not accept excuses,” he continued.  “And, believe me when I say, I’ve heard them all.  You know, the dog ate my homework,  I know it was in my back pack when I left the house this morning and even, I had to go to a funeral!  Don’t come to me on a Monday and tell me you had to miss class because you went to a funeral!  It just doesn’t happen!”

            Two or three weeks later I approached this same professor.  “Mr. A, I know you said not to even consider coming to you about attending a funeral, especially on a Monday, but, my dad’s funeral ceremony is planned for Monday.  I have to be there.”

            Of course I was excused from class, but I couldn’t help but think about the whole idea of making excuses to not live in our faith, or even accept Christ as Savior because we believe we have something better to do.

            I suspect we all make excuses from time to time for not having enough love, time, communication or even money.  Very often while there may be a grain of truth to our reasoning, the truth is, it is an excuse because we are sure it can’t possibly be our own fault! 

            God wants us to have an abundant life and he invites us over and over again to ask and believe in Him.  When we do, we have the opportunity to have a changed life and with a changed life comes a changed perspective and attitude.  With a changed attitude, very often our excuses change into plans given to God so we can be in His will, where God’s Prosperity will find us and we are finally able to drop the chains of life we wrestled with, when we didn’t believe.

We’ve probably all been in a position where we’ve planned a grand event, whether it was a birthday party, special celebration or just wanting fellowship with another family, and at the last minute they call and cancel and we are disappointed at the loss on both sides.  Jesus tells the story about a time when an important man held a banquet and all those invited gave excuses not to come.   The time will come when those who know the Lord will attend The Great Supper, also known as the “Marriage Supper with the Lamb.”  The invitation has been announced.  People worldwide have been invited, yet many choose to ignore it.

            God’s banquet will not be rescheduled.  It will happen just as He planned even if we’re not ready or we are choosing to ignore the invitation because we decide we have “better” things to do.    There will be a day when he will return and any time to reconcile with God, will be past. 

            So I challenge you this week to consider the excuses you have used over the last few days, whether they be related to time, financial or family issues, work problems, spiritual relationships or any others.  Are you willing to give your “excuse” to God ---no matter what area it falls in ---and allow Him to change it into an action plan? Today is the day, for change.