EXCUSES, EXCUSES! John Poitevint / March 6, 2022
Over the past few Sundays, we have looked at the story of God speaking to Moses from the burning bush on Mt. Horeb in Exodus chapters 3 & 4. We have looked at the story in light of the EXCUSES Moses attempted…to persuade God to change His mind about sending Moses to rescue the children of Israel from Egyptian bondage. EXCUSES are an everyday part of the life for most folks. As a child of God, we need to understand that when The Lord is our PILOT it’s “in the script” and we are going to be successful (Jeremiah 29:11), just as Moses was.
A “Christian” singing group wrote a song titled “EXCUSES” that illustrates this point with the following lyrics:
Excuses, excuses, you'll hear them every day.
And the Devil he'll supply them, if the church you stay away.
When people come to know the Lord, the Devil always loses
So to keep them folks away from church, he offers them excuses.
In the summer it's too hot. And, in the winter, it's too cold.
In the spring time when the weather's just right, you find someplace else to go.
Well, it's up to the mountains or down to the beach or to visit some old friend.
Or, to just stay home and kinda relax and hope that some of the kin folks will start dropping in.
Well, the church benches are too hard. And, that choir sings way too loud.
Boy, you know how nervous you get when you're sitting in a great big crowd.
The doctor told you, "Now, you better watch them crowds. They'll set you back."
But, you go to that old ball game because you say "it helps you to relax."
Well, a headache Sunday morning and a backache Sunday night.
But by worktime Monday morning, you're feeling quite alright.
While one of the children has a cold, "Pneumonia, do you suppose?"
Why the whole family had to stay home, just to blow that poor kid's nose.
Excuses, excuses, you'll hear them every day.
And the Devil he'll supply them if the church you stay away.
When people come to know the Lord, the Devil always loses
So to keep them folks away from church, he offers them excuses.
Well, the preacher he's too young. And, maybe he's too old.
The sermons they're not hard enough. And, maybe they're too bold.
His voice is much too quiet-like. Sometimes he gets too loud.
He needs to have more dignity. Or, else he's way too proud.
Well, the sermons they're too long. And, maybe they're too short.
He ought to preach the word with dignity instead of "stomp and snort."
Well, that preacher we've got must be "the world's most stuck up man."
Well, one of the lady's told me the other day, "Well, he didn't even shake my hand."
Excuses, excuses, you'll hear them every day.
And the Devil he'll supply them if the church you stay away.
When people come to know the Lord, the Devil always loses
So to keep them folks away from church, he offers them excuses.
So to keep them folks away from church, he offers them EXCUSES!
Brethren, and friends—let us realize as Solomon of old did, “there are no new things under the sun” (Ecclesiastes 1:9). God has heard them all! Let’s put Christ first (Matthew 6:33), and make NO EXCUSES. Let us declare with Joshua, “Choose you this day whom you will serve…but as for me and my house…we will serve the Lord” (Joshua 24:15).
