excuses

"Jesus replied with this story: 'A man prepared a great feast and sent out many invitations. When the banquet was ready, he sent his servant to tell the guests, "Come, the banquet is ready." But they all began making excuses. One said, "I have just bought a field and must inspect it. Please excuse me." Another said, "I have just bought five pairs of oxen, and I want to try them out. Please excuse me." Another said, "I now have a wife, so I can't come." The servant returned and told his master what they had said. His master was furious and said, "Go quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and invite the poor, the crippled, the blind, and the lame." After the servant had done this, he reported, "There is still room for more." So his master said, "Go into the country lanes and behind the hedges and urge anyone you find to come, so that the house will be full. For none of those I first invited will get even the smallest taste of my banquet."'" Luke 14:16-24

Excuses.

"But, I can't put the dishes away. I can't reach the cabinet."

"But, I can't take the trash out. It's raining."

"But, I didn't have time to do my homework."

"But, I am not any good at math."

"But, I forgot you asked me to clean my room."

"But, why should I be nice when she is so rude to me?"

"But, I am too busy to do that for you."

"But, I just couldn't do what you are doing."

"But, I don't want to..."

We learn pretty early how to make excuses, how to shift blame, how to absolve ourselves from responsibility or guilt. As I read the above passage of Scripture, I was reminded of the danger of making excuses. You see, God is preparing a banquet, and I desperately want to be in attendance. There is a place card with my name on it, and I don't want to forfeit my seat. I want to dine with my Savior. I want to break bread with Almighty God. I want to be with Him, to live in awe of Him for all eternity. I know that there is plenty of room at His table, but I also know that in order to get in the door my name has to be on the guest list. I don't want to get to the door and merely offer an excuse, something like, "But, I was really busy, and I just forgot. Can't I come in anyway?" God is clear about what the answer will be, and I never want to be too busy for Him. Instead, I want to be the one who is so excited about my invitation to the banquet that I am searching the highways and hedges looking for more people to present with invitations.

I am determining that this will not be a year of excuses but a year of choosing to honor my Lord in all that I do.