Excuses Excuses

Verse of the day: Joshua 15:14 Caleb drove out the three sons of Anak from there: Sheshai, Ahiman, and Talmai, the children of Anak.

When we read of Joshua’s and Caleb’s conquests in this book, it is amazing that these men, now in their 80s (as we know from the previous chapter, Joshua 14:10) have the courage and stamina to take on, in battle, the people that were already inhabiting the land God promised them. What Caleb set out to do was not an easy task. One group in particular, the children of Anak, were the people whom the spies observed when they first did a recon of the land, and returned with a discouraging report to the rest of the Israelites (Numbers 13). These men were large and warlike, and the spies felt like grasshoppers in comparison. It is believe that Goliath was a descendant of these people. Yet, Caleb, in completely trusting God’s promise to him that he would inherit the land, requested Hebron and went after the people who inhabited it, to expel them and take possession. I must stop here and ask, “What excuse(s) do we have for not serving the Lord in some form or another?” “Are we too young, too old, too weak or too frail?” Is the real reason that we are too preoccupied with the things of this world? Are we just too lazy? Are we unwilling to be inconvenienced? Are we not willing to step out of our comfort zone? Whatever the reason, I see repeatedly that we can never be too young or too old to serve God in some capacity or another. I have known wonderful saints of God who were shut-ins because of physical limitations, yet they were some of the greatest prayer warriors I have known. I have known Christians who were limited in their ability to get around, but were faithful to minister to others by sending out cards and notes of encouragement. I remember, some time ago, announcing in church that we would be meeting on a Saturday morning to go door to door and pass out tracts and flyers for the church. To my surprise and disappointment, the only person who showed up outside of my children, the youth pastor, and me, was a godly church member who was 80 years old. To top things off, it was raining out, but she insisted on going with us. What possible excuse(s) could all of the other younger Christians (age-wise) in our church have had that prevented them from showing up, other than not caring? We can all be used by God, if we would only step up and have the courage to be used. God can use us all, if we make Him the priority of our lives, and are willing to step out of our comfort zone. In Matthew 16:24-27 Jesus said, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. 25 For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. 26 For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? 27 For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works.” When God called Samuel, he was just a boy (1 Samuel 3). David was just a young shepherd boy when God called him (1 Samuel 16). Moses was an old man when God called him to lead the Hebrews out of Egypt (Exodus 3). God used Daniel from the time he was a young man into his old age. The bottom line is that none of us has an excuse for not serving God or experiencing wonderful victories in the process. How many opportunities and blessings are we passing up by our unwillingness to step out, by faith, to serve God in some capacity or another? What excuse will we give God when we stand before Him to give an account for our lives and how we chose to live it? I want to leave us with this portion of Scripture to ponder, 2 Corinthians 5:9-11, Therefore we make it our aim, whether present or absent, to be well pleasing to Him. 10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad. 11 Knowing, therefore, the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are well known to God, and I also trust are well known in your consciences.” I ask, “What will this moment potentially be like in each of our lives, based on how we are serving God now?

Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive Him and His gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).