Note: On Tuesdays and some Sundays, you can find me at Your Daily Tripod, owned by my friend TonyD. A longer version of the post below appears there.
“Someone gave a great dinner and invited many. At the time for the dinner he sent his slave to say to those who had been invited, ‘Come; for everything is ready now.’ But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said to him, ‘I have bought a piece of land, and I must go out and see it; please accept my regrets.’” (Luke 14:16-18, NRSVCE)
Consider me excused. I just had too many other commitments to be present to your pain and suffering.
Consider me excused. I just needed someone who could help me with the project, and when it would have taken too much effort to humble myself and train you, I moved on.
Consider me excused. It was a long day, and the next planned to be even more intense, so I skipped my prayer time.
Consider me excused. You’re always right, right, right, and I’m always wrong, wrong, wrong, and so I didn’t bother to say that in this particular case, you’re taking a lot of people down a very dangerous road.
Consider me excused. You intentionally wounded me, days or weeks or months or years ago, and when you begged pardon and asked for mercy just the other day, I blocked you, ignored you, or walked away.
We are all invited to the great dinner. But too often, the other stuff in our lives—tangible or intangible comes before living for Christ. And so we keep doing what we want to do… and ask for a rain check.
Consider me convicted—and in that conviction, beginning anew, so that that invitation might never be withdrawn.
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