'But God!'

Spend some time with elementary school kids and you will hear every excuse that ever was offered! Someone else is always to blame. I cannot tell you how many times I have heard students say 'but...but...but' followed by a myriad of excuses.

I hate to admit this, but I can think of many, many times in my life when God has been nudging me to do something and my reply was, 'but God....' followed by some excuse. I wonder what great thing may have happened if I had just obeyed Him instead of trying to justify my reason for disobedience.

Have you ever done that? Maybe you feel pulled in one direction or compelled to involve yourself in something....whether it's related to relationships, parenting, ministry or other situations. The problem is that you keep putting it off, telling yourself, 'it's not for me,' or ' I am not called to that,' or my favorite excuse, 'I am not equipped to lead that.'

I am here to tell you, if God calls you to it, He will see you through it!

The other day during a worship service, we were singing Amazing Grace (My Chains are Gone). I had been pondering and searching my Bible for these words, 'But God.'
The last verse suddenly hit me.....

the earth shall soon dissolve like snow
the sun forbade to shine
but God who calls me here below
will be forever mine.

But God!! He was here before I came into this world and He will be here long after I am gone. He has been taking situations and retelling HiStory all along! But God....
I've found over 40 references of 'but God' in the Word. Here are just a few.

Job 33:28 But God stepped in and saved me from certain death. I’m alive again!
Once more I see the light!

Psalm 54:4 But God is my helper. The Lord keeps me alive!

Luke 16:15. Then He said the them, 'You like to appear righteous in public, but God knows your hearts. What this world honors is detestable in the sight of God.'

Romans 6:23 But God’s gift is real life, eternal life, delivered by Jesus, our Master.

Romans 5:8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

Ephesians 2:4-7 But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.

Don't let the 'but God' in your life be the excuse for not obeying what He has called you to do. Instead, let Him finish that sentence working out His will through you.

Be encouraged and don't lose heart, God never gives excuses, and He is always faithful. Be faithful to Him.

Lord Jesus, take my excuses and transform me into Your tool. Use me to reach people and do Your will. Amen.

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