Laziness Wrapped Up In A Lie

Have you noticed that people can become very creative when it comes to excuses?  Some are really good at conjuring up unique ways of “explaining” their behavior while others, let’s say, lack in-depth or for that matter, intelligent thought. 

Finding the right excuse is not always an easy thing to do. Trying to explain why we are not able to attend a certain party or a way to absent ourselves from an obligation takes forethought and clear thinking. Clear thinking is something that a number of parents in Albuquerque, New Mexico lacked when they wrote excuse notes for their kids.

Here are just a few of those excuses that real parents wrote for real children. 
"Dear School: Please excuse John from being absent on Jan. 28, 29, 30, 31,
32, and also 33."
"Please excuse Brian for being. It was his father's fault."
"Please excuse Sara for being absent. She was sick and I had her shot."
"Sally won't be in school a week from Friday. We have to attend her
funeral."
"Please excuse Jennifer for missing school yesterday. We forgot to get the
Sunday paper off the porch, and when we found it Monday, we thought it was
Sunday."

The late Dr. Vance Havner was known to say that, “An excuse is nothing but laziness wrapped up in a lie.”  He was not one to mince words and always went to the heart of the problem. 

If you have been on the “church scene” for very long you are probably quiet aware of the excuses that “Christians” make about their lack of attendance at worship services and participating in other church events or functions. Here are just a few that I have heard over the years and as summer begins these excuses become more prevalent.

We need our Sunday recreational times.

Preacher, don’t you know it’s deer season. (You can add to this list every animal known to man!)
We have to work.
Sunday is the only time we have to spend with our family (and apparently
we don’t want to spend it in worship)
Sunday is the only day we have to sleep in.

I don’t have anything to wear.

I really don’t know anyone who attends there.

It’s too hot, cold, rainy, dark, early, late…ect.
I would get up early to attend Bible Study but I have a busy day ahead and need my rest.
My spouse dose not go to church so I will stay home and be a witness to him/her.
I know I should go to church but television is a heck of a lot more entertaining than our preacher.

I don’t like the old music.

I don’t like the new music.

I don’t want to go to church with hypocrites. (There’s always room for one more!)
I can’t serve the Lord because my kids are active in (you fill in the blank)______ and I want to share all these times with my kids.  When they are older we will attend.

Excuses are everywhere.  Some good and some bad but they are all still excuses.  My question to you is this, ‘Why will you not be in a worship service this Sunday? I’m sure you have a good excuse but it is most likely just laziness wrapped up in a lie.