Arguments of convenience lack integrity and inevitably trip you up. Rumsfeld

One of my favorite stories is of a young man who is separated from his sweetheart. He writes to her and says, "My love for you is so great that nothing could keep us apart. Indeed, I would swim the deepest ocean, I would scale the highest mountain top, I would cross the widest desert, just to be near you." What beautiful sentiments! What elegant poetry! The young woman must have simply been swept off her feet... until she read the final line: "P.S. I'll see you Sunday, if it doesn't rain."

This story makes us laugh, yet it sometimes comes a bit too close when we think of our own service to God. How many times have we put off reading His word because we were so busy? It might be that we still had the time to squeeze in that three hours of television in the evening, but we were still "so busy". How many times have we had time for only a brief snippet of prayer because of our schedules being so pressed, but had more than enough time to send 50 text messages or e-mails to our friends that we needed to keep in touch with?

Or, how about this? How many times have we missed the worship of our Lord because we were too busy? Perhaps that "busy" was taking time to mow the lawn that we just could not get to yesterday. Or, to do some maintenance that "just has to be done" (We are so sorry, Father, but first things first) or to spend some quality time with the family. If we were a bit more honest with ourselves, we would realize that we make time for the important. When was the last time you missed your kid's ballgame because you just had to mow the lawn? For that matter, when it comes to weak excuses, what could possibly be considered more quality than the time that you spend with your family at worship?

If this all makes you feel guilty, then welcome to the club - we have all been there. The question is what will we do about it? Christ does not want a "convenient servant" any more than we would want a convenient employee or a convenient spouse. How many times have we essentially said to our Lord, "I'll see you Sunday, if it doesn't rain"? Is Christ convenient... for you?

Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom the Master has put in charge...? Suppose that servant is wicked and says to himself, "My master is staying away a long time", and he then begins to beat his fellow servants and to eat and drink with the drunkards. The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour that he is not aware of. He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.    Matthew 24:45-51, NIV