Excuse Me, God!

                   A Yiddish proverb says, "If you don’t want to do something, one excuse is as good as another." That seems especially true in religion! From the time Adam blamed Eve and Eve blamed the serpent for their sin in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3:11-13), human beings have sought to excuse themselves from doing as God’s word directs. Romans 10:14-21 provides a case in point. Read the passage carefully. The apostle Paul raises and rejects excuses as to why many Jews in his day had rejected Christ and His gospel. They said they didn’t get a chance to hear because God had not sent anyone to preach to them (vv 14-18). Some said they didn’t know nor understand it (vs 19). But Paul won’t let them off the hook. He proves they did hear and understand it, and as part of the proof he declares in verse 18 – "But I say, have they not heard? Yes indeed: ‘Their sound has gone out to all the earth, And their words to the end of the world.’ " First century preachers had gone global with the gospel! The Jews’ problem, so says Paul, was a simple but sad one – they didn’t want do what the gospel said! "But they have not all obeyed the gospel" (verse 16). And, as the Yiddish proverb says, if you don’t want to do something, one excuse is as good as another!        
     Let me shift gears, and stay with me here. Somebody observed that a good elder in the church (and a good preacher, too, I might add) has to have the stomach of a goat! Why? Because goats can eat and swallow all kinds of stuff – from grass to garbage to tin cans – without gagging or getting sick at the stomach. Can you see the aptness of the analogy? When it comes to the "reasons" (read "excuses") for not obeying the gospel and / or not being more involved in worshiping and serving God, elders and preachers, and may be a deacon are two, are sometimes asked to swallow some pretty goofy stuff. Like – "I wasn’t at worship because I had company." Ever try that one on the boss? How about, "I just can’t sit on that pew for an hour." Do you sit on a wooden or concrete bleacher at a gym or stadium for an hour or three? Then this excuse – "I just don’t feel like getting out to worship on Sunday." Does that stop you from getting out on Monday, Tuesday or Friday to shop or eat out or visit with family or friends? Some Christians excuse themselves from teaching a class with reasoning – "I can’t teach because my kids are too young" – which later becomes, "I can’t teach because I’m too old and don’t have kids at home anyomore." Some glibly excuse themselves and say, "I don’t have time to read the Bible and pray for 30 minutes a day" – then spend hours in front of the TV or some other kind of screen or monitor. "I can’t afford to give much in the contribution," somebody says – but how much are you able to afford on movies, tobacco, junk food, and hobbies each week? I’m just asking. Some Christians say, "I can’t talk to otherr about Jesus." Really? Do you talk to others about Donald Trump or Barak Obama or some other person you don’t even know? Go ahead now – tell God why you can’t do what you know He would have you to be doing. Excuse me for asking, but aren’t you just saying, "Excuse me, God"?

"But they all with one accord began to make excuses" – Luke 14:18

By: Dan Gulley, Smithville, TN