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10-13-09 (The Dog Ate It!)
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Stephanie McIver
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Oct 13, 2009 09:13 PDT
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Steph’s Stuff
10-13-09
(The Dog Ate It!)
I blew it this morning. The one regular commitment I have that involves
getting up early—and that I really look forward to. I slept through the
alarm—probably because the alarm clock (my cell phone) was in the car…
I woke up 20 minutes after I was supposed to be somewhere. And I felt
like that kid who stammered—“My homework? The DOG ate it!” Except I
don’t have a dog.
I frantically called my friend. “I’m SCUM!” I sobbed. “I slept through
the alarm because I left the phone in the car last night! I’m sorry.”
“No worries,” she said graciously. “I have some errands to run in town.
I’ll just run them before work instead of after. I’ll see you Friday,
okay?” Yeah, okay—except Friday is a planning meeting. It’s not OUR
time. I blew it.
It’s not the end of the world. She is gracious and my missing this
meeting will not signal the end of our friendship. I have been gracious
when she has had to cancel in the past—but her cancellations haven’t
been for flaky reasons. They have been because she had to work—or she
was out of town. Other people don’t sleep through their alarms, do
they? That’s what the enemy whispers in my ear. “Yes, you blew it.
Nothing new, is it? You ARE scum!”
I’m not going to listen to that. I’m awake now. I’m motoring forward
into the day. The other commitments I have planned will be done. My
ABBA lets me sleep in from time to time, especially when He knows I need
a few extra hours of sleep. Especially when He tells me—“you have to
let go of a few more things to focus on the things I have for you. You
can’t do it all—and I don’t WANT you to. You are NOT the manager of the
universe, remember? I AM.”
The enemy would have me believe that I am making excuses for things I
didn’t do—on purpose. That little kid LIED about his homework, because
he hadn’t done it. I didn’t plan on missing my time with my friend. I
am truly sorry that I did miss it because I treasure that time. But
there was no lying involved. There was true confession. I blew it.
I’m sorry. Hopefully it won’t happen again—I will make SURE I have my
alarm clock NEXT to my HEAD next Monday night. So the enemy doesn’t win
this round.
He does remind me that there ARE areas where I have made excuses about
things—things I should have known better about. I’ve lied about
them—but the lying has been to myself. “Oh, that’s not that big a deal.
Cut yourself a little slack here. He will forgive you.” And He does,
but I realize that when I knowingly enter into some plot that won’t
please Him, I grieve His heart—and for that, I have no excuse.
“For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities—his
eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood
from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.” Romans 1:20
(NIV)
We learn early on, don’t we? I remember scrambling for excuses from a
very early age. “That broken dish? Not me! It was Joey! It was
Stevie! It wasn’t me!” Only it was, and I knew it. I also knew it was
wrong and my heart beat faster because it didn’t feel good to lie about
it. The fear of getting in trouble led to bigger troubles—the guilt
that came from doing what wasn’t right.
I think most excuses are made from emotions of fear and shame. We are
afraid to take responsibility because we are afraid of the
consequences—or we are ashamed that we didn’t measure up. I don’t
measure up every time though. Do you?
“No one whose hope is in you will ever be put to shame, but they will be
put to shame who are treacherous without excuse.” Psalm 25:3 (NIV)
Thanks for the reminder, Lord. My hope IS in You. When I confess my
sins, You forgive me those sins. No questions asked. Completely and
forever. I have no reason to be treacherous—or ashamed—or afraid. Your
graciousness and Your love cover me every time I blow it.
That is a very good thing. I didn’t really WANT to get a dog…
Fondly,
Stephanie
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