No Excuses!

I love reading about people in the bible who remind me so much of myself. I have to admit that it tickles me when Jesus, so frustrated with his disciples, asks them, "How long am I going to have to put up with you people (my paraphrase)?" Even though they saw everything Jesus did first-hand, they were still "thick" when it came to grasping what they were supposed to. I love it that Thomas was a doubter and that Peter was a hot-head. My heart goes out to Job, who I feel shares in my pain of suffering. I've also learned to forgive myself by reading about David and his return to God after a wayward period.

For many years I felt that I was unqualified to be an instrument for God's work. I felt sure that I did not have the qualities needed to get the job done, and more importantly, that my inadequacies would be too much of a detriment to anyone I might be trying to help. The good news is that no matter where we are in our walk, we can always be of use. I have heard it said that God does not call the qualified, He qualifies the called. The following was posted in the Lab at Children's Hospital. I saw it and commented on it to the nurse taking Anna's blood. She gave me a copy of it along with some other little poems of inspiration. God uses each of us, wherever we are, to share the love of God and to encourage others... just like that nurse did with me and I am doing with you now:

The next time you feel like God can't use you, remember the following people:

NOAH was a drunk...

ABRAHAM was too old...

ISAAC was a daydreamer...

JACOB was a liar...

LEAH was ugly...

JOSEPH was abused...

MOSES couldn't talk...

GIDEON was afraid...

SAMPSON had long hair and was a womanizer...

RAHAB was a prostitute...

JEREMIAH and TIMOTHY were too young...

DAVID had an affair and was a murderer...

ELIJAH was suicidal...

ISAIAH preached naked...

JONAH ran from God...

NAOMI was a widow...

JOB went bankrupt...

JOHN the baptist ate bugs...

PETER denied Christ...

The DISCIPLES fell asleep while praying...

MARTHA worried about everything...

MARY MAGDALENE was demon possessed...

The SAMARITAN WOMAN was divorced.. more than once...

ZACCHEUS was too small...

PAUL was too religious...

TIMOTHY had an ulcer...

AND LAZARUS WAS DEAD!!!

NO MORE EXCUSES!!!

In God we trust!