When Jesus said, "If ANYONE would come after me, he must deny himself take up his cross daily and follow me." Luke 9:23 NIV (Emphasis added) he meant EVERYONE.  He also invited everyone to come without qualification, which means we have no excuses for not following Him!

Jesus' followers were nothing exceptional.  They were ordinary people.  Here at New Life we remind ourselves that we are ordinary people serving an extraordinary God.  The amazing thing about Jesus selecting each of us is He doesn't worry about our qualifications.  He selects us, calls us, and He equips us with whatever is needed to carry out His work in our lives.  The thing is Jesus is concerned about US, before He's concerned about what we can do for Him.  Since, He's God and doesn't need anything anyway, it's never about what we can do for Him.   Jesus invites anyone, which means everyone, and He doesn't concern Himself with what we can do, which means we have no excuses for not following Him.

A frequent excuse I've heard over the years for not following Jesus is, "I don't have the time."  That excuse doesn't work, since we all have the same amount of time.  It's how we spend or invest it that matters.  We can't wait until things lighten up at work, or the children grow up, or until we retire, or until....  Something will always be there to take up our time, unless we give the time to God and let Him use it to glorify Himself and to use us to extend that glory in the world.

Another excuse folks often offer is my past disqualifies me for serving God.  Really?  God has used murderers, adulterers, liars and those are the "good" people he's used.  That list is made up of Moses, King David, and the Apostle Peter.  God is in the "business" of taking what we used to be and turning us into what no one would ever have imagined!  So, let's not make excuses, since Jesus' death on the cross paid the penalty for ALL our shortcomings, and opened the door to abundant life here and now, and eternal life in heaven when this life ends.

Take a moment right now to consider what excuses you've been using that hinder your being a fully devoted follower of Jesus.  Lay that excuse or excuses at Jesus' feet and offer yourself Him.

Let's pray:  Heavenly Father, Thank You for taking away all our excuses for following You!  Fill us with the Holy Spirit that we may live as fully devoted followers of Your Son, Jesus.  This we pray in His name.  Amen.