Topic: WHAT’S YOUR EXCUSE? – By Dr. Jeff Schreve – From His Heart 6 March 2023
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WHAT’S YOUR EXCUSE?
But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh, and that I should bring the sons of Israel out of Egypt?”
Exodus 3:11
Perhaps the most dramatic call in the Bible is the call of Moses at the burning bush. God was getting ready to perform great signs and wonders in Egypt, and He was calling Moses to be His human instrument. What an awesome privilege! Surely Moses jumped at the chance, right? Wrong! He responded to God’s call with excuses. We often do the same thing today.
Excuse #1: I don’t have the background for this task.
Moses’ first question to God, “Who am I to do this great thing?” Surely, Moses thought about his sordid background—a murderer who had to flee Egypt in order to save his own skin. He must have felt disqualified because of his past. God’s answer was simple and direct, “Certainly I will be with you ….” (Exodus 3:12). You see, it really does not matter who you are or who I am. All that matters is that He is with us. There was nothing special about the bush that was on fire and yet not burning. It was God in the bush that made it special.
Excuse #2: I couldn’t go unless I had more information.
Moses’ second question is a better one, “Who are You, God, and what is Your name?” I would need more info to give to the people if I were to seriously consider doing this great (and terrifying) thing. God’s wonderful response gives us His great name, “I AM WHO I AM. Thus you shall say to the sons of Israel, I AM has sent me to you” (Exodus 3:14). God is the Great I AM, not the Great I Was or the Great I Will Be. He is always in the present tense, right here with us. We don’t need anything more than knowing the Great I AM will go with us.
Excuse #3: I am doubtful this will work.
Moses said to the Lord in Exodus 4:1, “What if they won’t believe me, or listen to what I say?” In effect, he is saying, “I don’t see this working, God.” God gave him miraculous signs to authenticate his message. The burning bush should have been enough proof, but God graciously gave him more. The truth of the matter is this: any plan of God’s is not going to make sense to us. It will need supernatural power to get it accomplished. If we could do it on our own, we would not need God. Faith is necessary to see God’s plan come to fruition.
Excuse #4: I don’t have the ability to do this.
Moses told the Lord he was not a good speaker. Surely, this task required oratory skills, and he was not the guy with the gift of gab. In his mind, he was slow of speech, like Mountain Man from Duck Dynasty. God said, “I, even I, will be with your mouth and teach you what you are to say” (Exodus 4:11). I love the little poem that states, “I can’t; He never said I could. He will; He always said He would.” Listen, the best ability is simple availability. God does not call the equipped; He equips the called.
Excuse #5: I think someone else would be a better choice.
Moses finally said to God, “Please, Lord, send someone else” (Exodus 4:13 GW). UGH! It was an Isaiah chapter six moment in reverse, “Here I am, Lord! Send him!” At this point, God became angry with Moses and his barrage of excuses and arguments. To finalize the deal, God linked Moses with his older brother Aaron—the man who would make a golden calf in the wilderness, lie about making it, and grumble against Moses’ exalted position before the people. No doubt, it would have been much better for Moses to have gone with God’s original plan.
LET’S GET PERSONAL
Have you been telling God all the reasons you can’t do what He has called you to do? Has your response been, “Yes, but” or “Yes, Lord”? Why not get your eyes off your insufficiencies and on His all-sufficiency? He is “able to do exceeding abundantly” as we believe His Word and step out in faith.
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