Photo courtesy of Laura Lewis.

We hope you enjoy this re-post from February 14, 2014. Be blessed! The Today’s Quote From God Team

I said to them, Those who have any gold, let them take it off. So they gave it to me; then I cast it into the fire, and there came out this calf. – Exodus 32:24, Amplified Bible (AMP)

According to a 2009 report by Careerbuilder.com, the following are 10 excuses that real people gave their real bosses for being really late for work. Surprisingly, the bosses didn’t find the excuses really believable. Go figure.

1. While rowing across the river to work, I got lost in the fog.

2. Someone stole all my daffodils.

3. I had to go audition for American Idol.

4. My ex-husband stole my car so I couldn’t drive to work.

5. My route to work was shut down by a Presidential motorcade.

6. I have transient amnesia and couldn’t remember my job.

7. I was indicted for securities fraud this morning.

8. The line was too long at Starbucks.

9. I was trying to get my gun back from the police.

10. I didn’t have money for gas because all of the pawn shops were closed.

Despite the far-fetched nature of these excuses, they do prove a point: we will go to any lengths to shift the blame for our wrong-doing, even to the point of making STUPID justifications for our sin.

Aaron was no different, and neither are we. When we choose to sin against God, all is fine with us until we get caught. Then, when God sends a Moses to confront us and to set us straight, we seek to deflect responsibility rather than accept it like big boys and girls. All of us have come up with some pretty outlandish excuses, but by doing so we failed to grasp the real reason God sent our Moses in the first place. He didn’t send our Moses to make us squirm to the point of making excuses. He sent our Moses to help us see our wrong, repent of our wrong, and confess our wrong to God. Confession is the only way for us to restore our fellowship with God, and since fellowship with God is the purpose for which we were created, confession is something we should embrace rather than avoid.

Yes, we make excuses to try to minimize the punishment we face when we get caught for wrong-doing. But there is more mercy to be had by confessing sin than by covering it up. Covering it up will just make the punishment worse once the cover-up is exposed.