My car wouldn't start. The dog ate my homework. I can't see through the blizzard to drive. My grandmother died (for the 4th time). You get the picture. We can always find an excuse for the events in our lives. There are degrees of danger in our making excuses. Sometimes the excuses are real and valid while at other times excuses are a manipulation to get what we want when we want and how we want. Sometimes we even confuse "excuses" with "reasoning" and "logic" just to validate our stance and our actions. What is it we think we can obtain with our excuses? Do we really think people believe us? Okay, sometimes they do or at least pretend to believe our excuse. Then we cross the line and our excuses are clearly lies meant to deceive. It's like the trick question: "Have you stopped beating your wife?" There is no right answer. Trapped by excuses puts us in this corner where we need to remember our story or risk being found out.
Eve ate of the fruit but had an excuse. The 11 sold the 1 into slavery but had an excuse. The people made a golden calf while Moses was on the mountain. They too had an excuse. David had a man murdered and impregnated his that mans wife. BUT David had an excuse. Just as we turn the corner we see that nothing changes in the New Testament as well. Excuses abound. The rich young ruler wants to follow Jesus but the cost is too great. The moneychangers were at the temple to conduct business. But they had an excuse. Peter denied Jesus 3 times but had an excuse. Thomas doubted Jesus' resurrection but had an excuse. Enough of everyone else. I did not follow Jesus because I had a hundred excuses. I did not do what the Lord wanted because I had a hundred excuses. I sinned intentionally because I had a hundred excuses. I denied Jesus because I had a hundred excuses. How about you?
Excuses can be exchanged for the truth. I sinned. It was my choice. I lied. It's not really hard to say these things after the fact. When I've already done what I've done or chose what I chose. It's most difficult stopping the excuses in the first place. IF we belong to Jesus there are no excuses. He told us to imitate him in all our ways. Jesus did not make any excuses. Ever. Jesus lived the truth. When he deals with me through others, situations, or just talking to me there is no room for my making excuses. Yet, I walk away and do just that. I can argue that I am a fallible human being. However, that's just another excuse. The truth is when I make an excuse I'm just trying to cover up an area of my life that I have not surrendered to Jesus. It's the selfish part of me that wants what I want in spite of Him giving me all I need.
I'll surrender again today and try to remain surrendered. When I feel an excuse coming on I will give it over to Jesus. Just for today I will live for Jesus and not myself.
No comments:
Post a Comment