“I can’t possibly find my shoes with these hiccups!”

Don’t you just love finding treasures when you are cleaning? I’m on spring break this week and after running errands on Monday, vowing to do nothing on Tuesday and being completely bored, I decided it was time to get motivated on some projects around the house. As I dug into my earliest writing files, I found some of the best memories! Check out my Facebook author page, Crystal L. Ratcliff, to see my burden for Christian women in 2007 was the same as it is today. #GetInTheWord Anyway, let’s get on with what is one of my favorite devotions from MANY years ago…

“I can’t possibly find my shoes with these hiccups!”

Sound like a silly excuse? That’s because it is!

My three year old daughter, Harley, couldn’t find her shoes this morning. “Look for them again,” I said. “We need to be leaving.”

Harley wandered back into her bedroom . After a few minutes, she came back empty handed and gave her sweetest smile.

“Mommy, I can’t possibly-” hiccup “-find my shoes with these hiccups.”

I tried to hide my smile. “Having the hiccups has nothing to do with whether or not you can look for your shoes, Silly.”

Finally, we found the missing shoes -which were under her bed, by the way – and continued our day. But I couldn’t stop thinking about Harley’s excuse and how silly it sounded.

I wonder if that is how our excuses sound to the Lord.

“Lord, I can’t possibly go to church today because I’m tired.”

“Lord, I can’t possibly spend time reading my Bible today because I’m too busy.”

“Lord, I can’t possibly witness because I’m too shy.”

“Lord, I can’t possibly  love my neighbor because they make me so mad.”

“Lord, I can’t possibly give to missions because I would have to give up my daily Coke.”

Let’s see what God has to say about our excuses.

Luke 9:57-62

57  And it came to pass, that, as they went in the way, a certain man said unto him, Lord, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest. 58  And Jesus said unto him, Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head. 59 And he said unto another, Follow me. But he said, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father. 60  Jesus said unto him, Let the dead bury their dead: but go thou and preach the kingdom of God. 61  And another also said, Lord, I will follow thee; but let me first go bid them farewell, which are at home at my house. 62  And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.

In this passage of scripture, we see how Jesus reacted when given excuses as to why the people couldn’t follow Him. The passage starts out with a man who volunteers to follow Jesus. We could be puzzled over the answer Jesus gave him in verse fifty-eight, but Jesus knew more than what the man said. Jesus knew his heart. By the answer Jesus gave, I think it is a safe assumption that the man thought following Jesus would be easy. Perhaps the man should have said, “I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest if things go well.”

In verse fifty-nine, Jesus invites another to follow Him. The man gives an excuse. “Suffer me first to go and bury my father.” This in itself is not a bad thing, a devotion to your earthly family. Most would agree that this man ‘s father is not dead yet, though. He wants to stay home until his father does die either because he feels it is his duty or perhaps so that he will receive his due inheritance. Jesus answers, “Let the dead bury their dead…” Sounds kind of harsh. but once again Jesus knew this man’s heart. He saw the man’s reply for what it was: an excuse. We must remember that when God calls us to a task, His timing is perfect.

In verse sixty-one, we have another who wants to follow Jesus. However, he requests time to go home, to bid his family and friends farewell, to set his affairs in order. It sounds reasonable, but Jesus didn’t see it that way. His response, ”No man, having put his hand to the plough , and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.” He is telling us that He wants our whole heart. We can’t hold onto the world and serve Him the way that we should. Jesus was our example of this. He put His hand to the plough and followed it to the cross.

In closing, let’s remember how silly our excuses sound to a HOLY and RIGHTEOUS God. If He has impressed upon your heart an area of service, be quick to obey. You may think your excuse .sounds reasonable, but all the Lord hears is, “Lord, I can’t possibly (insert the thing the Lord has asked you to do here) with these hiccups.”