Will Your Excuses Work in Heaven?

I was in a deacon's meeting some time ago when one of the deacons reported why a couple in our congregation had quit coming to church. They said that they had quit coming for awhile and no one had contacted them so the church must not care for them. They weren't going to come back to a church that didn't care for them.

The deacons began to beat up the church for not contacting these people. I said, "Wait one minute! Are you telling me that these people have stopped coming to church and we are going to take full responsibility for their irresponsibility?"

We talked about it further and someone reported that they had been irregular in their attendance before they had stopped coming altogether. Each time someone had contacted them this couple had some excuse for their lack of attendance. By the time they had stopped coming their irregular attendance pattern and excuses had been firmly established. Their new excuse was to blame us for not attending. They also weren't going to any church when they were contacted.

Granted, their excuse worked on the deacon who had contacted them. It didn't work on me or the rest of the deacons when we discussed it. I know it will not work on the Lord.

I am tired of hearing the lame excuses people give for not doing what the Lord has called them to do. They don't witness because they are afraid they will make things worse. Good grief! The people are going to hell; how much worse can you make it?!

They don't attend because they only get one day away from work. This is the only day they have for themselves. Come on! Do you really believe that the Lord needs you to come to church more than you need to do it for yourself?

They don't tithe because they deplore money hungry preachers. Think a little! The preacher doesn't get any more money if you tithe. That is determined by the church leaders or the congregation. You can still express your opinion why you don't think the preacher should make more money!

I may come up with an excuse that you will accept but my excuses will not work on my Lord. I will be like Adam who tried to blame his sin on God Himself. "The woman You gave me . . . ."

So, what will be your excuse for not going to church today? I don't care if it will play in Peoria. Will it play in heaven?