I FIRST POSTED THIS
IN 2011 BUT AFTER A RESTLESS NIGHT, GOD DEALT WITH ME TO REPOST IN 2013!
As a pastor’s wife for several years, I’ve heard about every
excuse for not serving God, missing church, or not being involved that can be
invented. My sister, a fellow pastor’s
wife and I have declared that some day we will compile all of this wonderful
creativity and write a book. I’m
positive it will be a best seller; we already have friends that are waiting to
preorder their copy. Every time I believe
there is nothing new that a person will think up, another excuse is added to my
collection. Human ingenuity never ceases
to amaze me.
I will never forget the day, my sister called with this one;
it has become my favorite. Just before
service that evening, a dear “saint” called to let the pastor know that she
would not be able to be at church because she had to put the groceries
away!!! Now I’m sure the Lord
“understood.” After all, groceries are
expensive, meat left on the counter for an extended period of time will stink
up your house, our houses should be neat and orderly, etc. Unlike the Lord, however, I was
speechless!!! Throw the perishables in
the fridge, the non-perishables in the closet if you must and GET TO THE HOUSE
OF GOD!
Luke 14 recounts the story of a man who had worked hard to
prepare a nice dinner only to receive excuses from the invited guests. One had
purchased some property and had to go check on it. Another had obtained five yoke of oxen and
had to try them out. The third merely
said, I have just gotten married and can’t come. The host was so angry that he ordered his
servant to go out into the streets and bring in anyone who was hungry enough to
accept his invitation. Perhaps, the problem is that we are not hungry enough for
the things of God.
Abraham left all his
family to follow God, not even knowing where he would finally settle down. The Children of Israel were ordered to be
ready to leave immediately with their staff in hand and shoes on their
feet. There would be no time to put away
the groceries; this was their Night of Deliverance. When Jesus called the twelve disciples, the
Bible records that Peter and Andrew “straightway”
left their nets and followed Him. James
and John “immediately” left their
ship and father to follow Jesus. We also
read where Matthew left his tax collecting table to follow Jesus, but how many
people did Jesus invite to follow him that said, “Yes, Lord, but first let me put
away the groceries?”
What are you allowing to take precedence over the call of
God in your life? Perhaps it isn’t a
yoke of oxen, a piece of property or sacks of groceries but what about a
career, your children, your age or future experiences? When will we finally leave the groceries on
the counter and say as Isaiah said, “Here am I; send me.” Make God your priority today. YOU
ARE HIS!!!!
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