I do not know what your response would be (I mean after you woke up from passing out at the sight of Jesus), but I do know this: The first time Jesus was here, he heard lots of excuses.
Just for interest’s sake, I made an “Excuses tour” of gospels last week and noted every excuse that people used in order to get out of doing what they were asked to do. Some said that it was too difficult (Mark 10: 17-22). Others said that they would do it later (Luke 9:57-62). Others said “yes”, but later found reasons not to bother (Luke 14:16-20). One decided that his business was more important than listening to God (Luke 12:13-21). Still others wanted “just a little more proof” that Jesus was the Son of God (Mark 15:29-32). I could fill this whole article with excuses.
Then John records that, “Many of his disciples said, ‘This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it?’” (John 6:60). Notice that the message was not “hard to understand". They clearly understood what they were to do. The problem was that it was “hard to accept”. That is likely the issue for most of us.
You see, in various ways, God is going to ask us to do certain things, or to stop doing certain things. If we are listening at all, we are going to be challenged in a thousand different ways.
At each of those points, our response will be either faithful following or excuses and missed opportunities.
As James reminds us, “Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn't do it, sins” (4:17).
So, what is God asking you to do? Are you doing it?
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