No Excuses

Silence. I love it. It does not come very often in this crazy house. My husband is across the street at softball practice and I sent all three girls across the street with him. It is finally nice enough outside to have the screen door open so I can sit here and just listen to nature.

I have a house that is trying to call my name to straighten it up, but I am not listening. When I can take a moment and sit and write, I have to take it. Lately it seems that I don't have any quiet time in the mornings or in the evenings and definitely not in the middle of the day.

This morning I went down by the river with my husband and we spent some time together. However, we didn't talk to each other. We shared in each other's quiet time. We both spent time alone with God, while in each other's presence. It is something that we have started to do on Sunday mornings before we go to church. It is a time that I treasure every week. 

This morning I spent some time in Philippians 4. Verse 4 says this, "Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!" I started to think about my last blog post, In a funk. I started to be rather convicted. I really don't have the right to let myself get to that place.

This verse is pretty clear. It does not say, Rejoice when something good happens, or rejoice when I feel like it. It clearly states, "Rejoice in the Lord always." 

I am reading a book right now by Francis Chan, titled Crazy Love. There is a statement that keeps speaking to my heart. He states, "We need to stop giving people excuses not to believe in God."

I have really been tossing this statement around in my head. I have really been thinking to myself, "Am I living my life in a way that I am giving others excuses to not want to believe in God?"

I believe in a God that loves all people, but do I love all people. I believe in a God that forgives all sin, but do I forgive others. I believe in a God who guides every step of my life, but do I let Him, or do I try to forge my own path? I believe in a God that is fair and just, but do I try to be the judge?

I don't want to give people excuses to not believe in God. The God of the universe that created all things. The God that shows me how much he loves me everyday. All I have to do is look around me and see how much He loves me. I look at my three beautiful girls. I look at the gift of my marriage. I look at the leaves that are starting to bloom. God's love for me is everywhere.

I will leave you with one more statement that I read in Crazy Love. It is another statement that has me on my knees, asking God to forgive me and asking God to help me, to change my heart. Chan says, "The irony is that while God doesn't need us but still wants us, we desperately need God but don't really want Him most of the time. He treasures us and anticipates our departure from this earth to be with Him--and we wonder, indifferently, how much we have to do for Him to get by."

I don't want to be a follower of Christ that lives my life just getting by for Christ. I want to live my life with no excuses.

"Boldly and without hindrance he, [Paul], preached the kingdom of God and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ." Acts 28:31