Then He said to him, “A certain man gave a great supper and invited many, and sent his servants at supper time to say to those who were invited, ‘Come, for all things are ready.’ But they all with one accord began to make excuses. The first said to him, ‘I have bought a piece of ground, and I must go and see it. I ask you to have me excused.’ And another said,’ I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I am going to test them. I ask you to have me excused.’ Still an-other said, ‘I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.’ — Luke 14:16-20 (NKJV)

This parable illustrates all too accurately how far too many of us behave toward God and His invitation to join Him in ministry. Like the three examples given by Dr. Luke, we offer some of the most ridiculous excuses for not doing God’s will. “I don’t have time” is one of our favorite excuses; knowing full well that we all have exactly the same amount of time, we still hide behind the clock. The trouble with these excuses is that God already knows our schedules; He already knows the things which hinder our being obedient to His call, and that it is our nature to resist Him.

We human beings tend to live our lives through a series of events which we consider very important; maybe you have expressed similar thoughts:

When I get my driver’s license; When I get my own car; When I get out of school; When I get a job; When I get married; When we have children; When we have a bigger house; When we have more money; When our kids are grown; When we have grandkids; When we retire; When our social security starts; When we feel better; When I get out of this hospital …

These are the same excuses which we use for not serving God, always putting Him off until things change for the “better.” The flaw in this reasoning is that it takes God out of the equation.

He has no chance to bless us as we give out of our own need, or serve when we are ourselves broken. God is looking for those among us who will come when He calls, and go where He sends.

Are we such folk?

The Rev. Bobby Thornhill is a retired pastor.