Have you noticed how easily we excuse ourselves today? However, making excuses has been a go-to for humankind since the beginning of time. We even change the name of things as a cover for the reasons behind our actions, especially when we know they are sinful and offensive to God.

Some of our excuses sound like, “That’s the way I was raised”, “This is just the way I am”, “He started it”, “I was tired and having a bad day”, “Everyone else is doing it”, “The woman you put here with me gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate it.” “It’s his fault.” “Maybe it’s even God’s fault but surely it’s not my fault!

This is a big one today, sometimes we change the name to cover our sins: It’s not gossip; it’s sharing; it’s not coveting, it’s admiring, it’s not lying; it’s explaining; it’s not homosexuality; it’s trans, LGBTQ alphabet; it’s not cheating; it’s swinging; it’s not man and woman; it’s gender based on how you feel on the inside. No matter the label you wear God love all people and welcome each one to his table of cleansing, restoration and renewal.

What excuses have you made recently to God, others, and yourself for sin? How have you renamed your sin to make it sound better?

“If we cover our sin, God will expose it. If we expose our sin, God will cover it.” The only sin that cannot be forgiven is the sin of not coming to God for forgiveness.” God doesn’t overlook or forgive excuses, but He does offer forgiveness for sin. He patiently waits for us to confront our wrongdoing and label it for what it is: sin.

Psalm 51: 1, “O God have Mercy on Me!, O God according to your unfailing love, according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions.”

When we:

• Confess our sins
• Seek repentance,
• God removes them as far as the east is from the west.

Envision a globe in your mind – no matter how far you travel, you will never encounter the west by heading east. This illustrates the extent to which God is willing to cleanse, forgive and make us new.

(Read the previous post “Never Forget Clean Hands”)

A. Repentance frees us.

B. Honesty renews us.

C. God’s mercy cleanses us.

When there is something in your life that isn’t right, you need to get it out. Your behavior changes when you repent because you’ve changed the way you think about your choices and behaviors.

Until we stop making excuses we are not ready to be forgiven. Whether we think we are above the law, (as David apparently thought when he chose to send for the married Bathsheba) or that our action is okay if others started it (as Adam thought in the Garden) Our excuses cover us as poorly as the Adam and Eve’s fig leaves in the Garden of Eden.

(Add Psalm 51: 1-19 to your daily prayer time.) Share this commitment with those you love. Because God loves them more.

Lord, give me the courage to be honest with myself and to be honest with you. Holy Spirit, I invite you to search my heart and point out anything that offends you. I’m not going to make excuses. I’m not going to try to defend myself. I invite you to bring anything else to light that I’m not aware of and I will confess it so that you can cleanse me anew. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen!