Suppose you are having
a wedding. You draw up a guest list. Then you send invitations with RSVP on
them. Then you wait.
Three kinds of
responses
1) Acceptance – Some enthusiastically come.
They are honored and grateful. Others are coming because they feel obligated
2) Some Refuse. They do have a prior
engagement. But some just can’t be bothered.
3) Do not respond at all. Problem – how do you
plan? Are they coming or not?
I think you
understand, this is just not any wedding – God is inviting us! God does not force us – He respects our
freedom. But He wants us to share in his
joy!
So, what is our
excuse?
There is a letter I
should write, but I know I need to pray, but I know I should be more charitable
toward X, but I know that dishonesty is wrong, but I
know I am not working at my job as I should, but I
know I am drinking too much, but I know I should spend more time with my kids,
but
There are no shortage
of excuses. Some of them are good ones.
But
Does God know what is
best for us? What is he calling us
to? Does he invite us to a deeper and
more authentic life? A closer relationship with him? Into community with
others? Into eternal life?
Once was a letter to
the editor: “I quit going to church this
year. I decided that listening to sermons week after week was a stupid thing to
do. After all, I went to church for 40 years and during that time I probably
heard 5,000 sermons. I can only remember about 5. What a waste of time!”
The next week “I quit
eating this year. I decided that eating week after week was a stupid thing to
do. After all I have been eating about 40 years and have probably had over
5,000 meals. I can only remember about 5 of them. What a waste of time.
So, what is our
excuse?
