We’ve all excused ourselves in various ways for not doing what we should. Someone might say something like this, “I would pray or worship God more, but I’m just too busy.” “I would forgive that person, but you don’t know how mean they were to me.” “I would help more people, but they would probably just use what I give them to buy alcohol and drugs.” “I would quit my bad habits, but I don’t think it would last.” “I would tell others about Jesus and what He has done for me, but I’m too shy.”
In Luke’s Gospel we read Christ said to a man, “Follow me.” The man replied, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.” Jesus said to him, “let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God.” Still another said, “I will follow you, Lord, but first let me go back and say good-by to my family.” Jesus replied, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.”
There are many reasons people give not to follow Jesus and put Him first in their lives. Family reasons, health reasons, financial matters, offenses, bad experiences with churches, recreation, work, school, friends, relationships and so on.
So instead of objecting to God’s call to follow Him, citing all of our problems and responsibilities the pressures of life, we should say YES to God and ask Him to transform us into people of God, following Him in love and obedience.
What kind of objections do you have when it comes to your faith and service for the Lord?
God understands our lives, our emotions, our problems, our pain, and everything about us.
He calls for us to commit ourselves completely to Him, and hold nothing back. There are no acceptable excuses and there is nothing that should get in the way. That is the picture of the authentic follower of Christ.
