Excuses

Jesus said, "Follow Me" Have you ever, thought how often the first thing Jesus said to a person began with an imperative verb? A challenge to act was his way. So he spoke these words to Peter and Andrew to come and follow him. Take some action was his request to the servants at the marriage feast to fill the water pots, to the woman at the well to give him a drink, and the lame man to take up his bed and walk.

So many times Jesus said, "Follow Me!"

Even today, when we honestly come face to face with Jesus the Christ, he calls us to follow him. It is not just to believe but to follow. As we take action on his commands our insights of faith and our qualities of Christian character begin to grow. But these things only come after we commit to walk after him and take that first step on faith.

So many people clearly hear the call to follow Jesus. They believe in him but then hold back when it comes to actually following. They make excuses, often to themselves as much as to the Lord. The Christian life will be a transforming experience for any person who determines to answer Christ's call to follow him. The power of the Christian life is in the daily walk with Jesus. It will include acts of kindness and love along with the basic and simple act of good daily devotion, prayer, and humble obedience.

Jesus calls all of us to take Action. But so many people make excuses for not saying yes to Jesus. They want to put off the decision until the very last thing. Emperor Constantine – the first Christian Roman Emperor had a priest follow him around with orders to baptize him if he was about to die.

We all make excuses to rationalize and justify our failure to take action. Like the man whose neighbor always wanted to borrow his tools. One day when the neighbor ask to borrow his lawn mower, He said, "Can't do it, I'm coming down with a cold." "Well" said the neighbor, "that's a dumb excuse; your cold won't affect my mowing the lawn." "No but any excuse will do if I don't want to loan you the mower."