The Excuses We Make
We were studying a multitude of literature, primarily poetry on this final night of class as student-after-student presented his analysis of an assigned poem. Once they finished, we turned our attention to the final exam and last of all, we began a discussion of the remaining chapters of the class novel. This was a novel of a man’s remembrance of war.
What has landed upon my heart—the day after my students presented their poetry, prepared for their final essay, and discussed the last chapters—can be summed up in one word: Sacrifices. For this last session together, I had assigned a Zoom meeting so that their presentations would be more about the poem being analyzed and less about the student standing to present.
Last evening, in looking at the student’s faces upon the computer screen, I found myself struck by the many stories they brought to our time together. This morning as I read Bible passages, I find myself again seeing their faces as one single word comes to mind: Sacrifices.
- Do we sacrifice our personal will for God’s will?
- Do we lay our hearts upon the altar?
- Do we lay upon God’s altar our hands and feet and plans and goals?
- When God speaks to us, do we obey with a sacrifice of our agenda for His?
- When God whispers to our spirit, “Quiet. Do not speak.” Do we talk anyway?
- When God promises to equip us, provide for us, to lead us, and to be with us—Do We Forget?
The writer of the book of Hebrews has written a benediction in this letter to the Hebrews, one that addresses these questions. Please take up your copy of God’s Holy Word to read with me.
“Now may the God of peace, who brought
(Hebrews 13: 20-21 NASB)
up from the dead the great Shepherd of the
sheep through the blood of the eternal covenant, that is,
Jesus our Lord,
Equip you in every good thing to do His will,
Working in us that which is pleasing in His sight,
Through Jesus Christ,
To whom be the glory forever and ever.
Amen.”
As I type, one truth permeates my mind: Our lives, Our stories, Our Time, Our Bodies—Are To Be A Total Sacrifice To JESUS!
- Our Agendas.
- Our Plans.
- Our Movements.
- Our Work.
- Our Words.
- Our Mouths.
- Our Silence.
- Our Hearts.
- Our Listening Ears.
- Our Marriages.
- Our Singleness.
- Our Direction of Where Our Legs & Our Feet Take Us Each Day.
- Yes, Our Daily Walk.
- Yes, Our Daily Talk.
- Yes, Our Daily Thoughts.
- Yes, Our Daily Reactions.
- Yes, Our Daily Work.
- Yes, Our Entire Life.
OUR EVERYTHING—BELONGS TO THE GREAT SHEPHERD!
In the Bible, we are reminded of men and women who had excuses for not following God. People like Moses, Gideon, Jonah, Jeremiah, Joseph, Eve, the Samaritan woman, Saul (the persecutor of the Jews), Job, and so many more. Truly, we could type names for a great deal of time. People who have lived and died, people who have life-stories, and within their stories, we find ourselves identifying with them. Each person had a “good reason” & “good excuse” for not going where God led them to go, for not speaking the words God gave them to speak, and for not following God.
Let’s us pause to be reminded of the words recorded in red, the words of the SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST!
“Now when they bring you before the synagogues and the officials and the authorities, do not worry about how or what you are to speak in your defense, or what you are to say;
(Luke 12: 11-12 NASB)
for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say.”
God will equip us, prepare us, give to us the words we need, as we go, as we speak, as we testify, as we obey Him, & if we are to stand in silence, then God will help us stand in obedience to His command. With God, we do not need to worry about running out of anything! We have unlimited provisions! We have His Guidance, His Words to Speak, & His Peace—In whatever situation & to whatever place He has led us to.
As God’s Children, We Have NO EXCUSE For Any of the Excuses We Make!
As God’s Children, Our Only Response Should Ever Be—to Stand, to Praise, & to Honor our LORD of Lords & KING of Kings!
It is King David, a man of great earthly power and a man who sought the heart of God, who wrote under the direction of God, these words:
“Set a guard, LORD, over my mouth;
(Psalm 141: 3-5 & 8 NASB)
Keep watch over the door
of my lips.
Do not incline my heart
to any evil thing,
To practice deeds of wickedness
With people who do wrong;
And may I not taste their delicacies.
May the righteous strike me with
mercy and discipline me,
It is oil for the head;
My head shall not refuse it.
For my prayer is still against
their evil deeds. . . .
For my eyes are toward
You, GOD, the Lord;
In You I take refuge, do not
leave me defenseless.”
- The Great Shepherd will anoint our heads with oil.
- The Great Shepherd will lead us where we go.
- The Great Shepherd will walk us through any temptation we face.
- The Great Shepherd will provide for all our daily needs.
- The Great Shepherd, the Great High Priest—JESUS—has promised to never leave us.
Our Task: Follow & Obey!
We Have No Excuse!
“Now may the God of peace, who brought
(Hebrews 13: 20-21 NASB)
up from the dead the great Shepherd of the
sheep through the blood of the eternal covenant, that is,
Jesus our Lord,
Equip you in every good thing to do His will,
Working in us that which is pleasing in His sight,
Through Jesus Christ,
To whom be the glory forever and ever.
Amen.”
There is a melody that reminds us—of Our Task.
“Blessed Assurance” by CAIN & David Leonard
Maybe listen on this beautiful day and be reminded how—Our Task is So Simple: Stand, Follow God, Testify, Tell Our Story, Obey His Commands, Forever Lift Our Voices in Praise, & Continually Glorify & Honor—JESUS CHRIST, our REDEEMER, SAVIOR, & LORD!