EXCUSES, Friday, January 14, 2010

Reading: Luke 14:15-24, 15 When one of those who were reclining at the table with Him heard this, he said to Him, "Blessed is everyone who will eat bread in the kingdom of God!" 16 But He said to him, "A man was giving a big dinner, and he invited many; 17 and at the dinner hour he sent his slave to say to those who had been invited, `Come; for everything is ready now.' 18 "But they all alike began to make excuses. The first one said to him, `I have bought a piece of land and I need to go out and look at it; please consider me excused.' 19 "Another one said, `I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I am going to try them out; please consider me excused.' 20 "Another one said, `I have married a wife, and for that reason I cannot come.' 21 "And the slave came back and reported this to his master. Then the head of the household became angry and said to his slave, `Go out at once into the streets and lanes of the city and bring in here the poor and crippled and blind and lame.' 22 "And the slave said, `Master, what you commanded has been done, and still there is room.' 23 "And the master said to the slave, `Go out into the highways and along the hedges, and compel them to come in, so that my house may be filled. 24 `For I tell you, none of those men who were invited shall taste of my dinner.'

Can you imagine rejecting a friend or family member in the way described in this parable? It wouldn’t happen. But we seem to be able to do this to God.
Our earthly lives can become all consuming. We can easily begin to follow paths which lead away from God or just fool ourselves into thinking we’re too busy to spend time learning and growing in God’s love. God’s grace and compassion for us is so great that we can never fully grasp it. However, we can not continuously reject God’s calling to us and expect there not to be a consequence.

Christ is eager for us to accept him as our savior and to develop our relationship with him. He constantly provides us with opportunities to strengthen our faith. We just have to do our part and open our hearts to his presence.

How can you be sure to make time for God throughout your day today?


REVIEW

Can you identify experiences in your life which could have been used to strengthen your relationship with God?
How did you make time for God today?