“Excuses”

February 1, 2024

February 1, 2024

Read Exodus 2-4, Psalm 32

Are you the type of person who gives excuses to others? Maybe people give you excuses about why they can’t do something or why something was not completed. What are you most likely to throw out an excuse? Is it because of a weakness, or character trait that you need improvement in? In these chapters we read a lot about Moses, the strong humble leader. He didn’t start out very strong in the beginning.

Moses grows up as a Hebrew raised in the palace by Pharoah’s daughter. He really didn’t fit in with the Israelites or the Egyptians. 40 years later he flees into the desert from Pharaoh who tried to kill him for protecting a fellow Israelite. He’s been gone another forty years and then God comes calling. These verses are all about “who.” First “who” God is, and second “who” Moses is. Moses started out looking at himself.  He lacked confidence in himself even through God was calling him to a task. “Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?” v. 11. God’s Response – “I will be with you” v. 12. Moses wanted to dig deeper and asks, “Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ Then what shall I tell them?’ 14 God said to Moses, ‘I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I AM has sent me to you’” vv.13-14. Our confidence should be weak if it is in ourselves, but if it is in the Lord, we should have all the confidence we need.

Even with the “who” questions answered, Moses is still not satisfied and turns to the “what” and “how” questions. Exodus 4 Moses starts offering excuses. First Excuse: “What if they do not believe me or listen to me?” v. 1. God’s answer is that He will provide Moses with signs and miracles to perform to help Moses. Second Excuse: “I am slow of speech and tongue” v. 10. God’s response “who gave man his mouth?” v. 11 – God will provide a solution here also. “I will help you speak and will teach you what to say” v. 12. Moses realizes he is not getting out of this. He finally exclaims, “O Lord, please send someone else to do it” v. 13. God reaction – “the Lord’s anger burned against Moses” v. 14”. This is a dangerous place to be, to tell God “No.” This is the one thing we cannot afford to do, it is disobedience.

What has God called you to do, and you are still throwing up excuses or just outright telling God “no?” Take confidence in the God who called you to a task. Trust in Him and lean not on your own understanding.

What else do you see in these four chapters? What words, phrases, or themes stand out to you? Add your thoughts below.

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Posted by John Weldon

Who Me Lord?

January 24, 2010

The next aspect of the story of Moses that I see in the area of leadership is on the leader himself.  With some people who hear the call into leadership can be a very intimidating situation.  Not every one of course, but the humble and least likely of people can often feel inadequate when answering to the call to ministry or to complete a task that God has for them to do.

Moses was no different, the very first thing he did was question God on why God wanted to use him. (Exodus 3)  No doubt, he was thinking about his past and what had transpired with him and the Egyptian he killed.  We can’t let the past hold us hostage into moving forward into where God calls us to go.  Here are a few scriptures, speaking about our past.

  • Isaiah 43:19 – See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland.
  • Philippians 3:13 – Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead,

 

Anyone who recognizes the call by God into an endeavor must always remember one thing; If God called you to a task, a position, or place He will make sure you have what it takes to finish what He desires for you to do, even though you may doubt.  God knows what He is doing.

In Exodus chapter 4 it points out several excuses that Moses tried to offer up to God when God kept insisting on His plan. Moses first excuse was “What if they won’t listen to me?”  God took care of his excuse by giving him miracles to do with his staff, his hand, and some water.   God always provides you with the tools you need to be successful for him.  Today’s tools maybe books, programs, or other ministries to share and pull from.

The second excuse was that was not a good speaker and was “I am slow of speech and tongue.”   God gentle reminded Moses, “Who made your mouth?”  We may look at our set of skills and say to God “I can’t teach like that or I can’t work with children like etc….”  God would say to all of us, I don’t care what you can and can’t do like everyone else, I just want you to do what I ask you to do in your own way and with what I gave you in the way of your gifts, talents, and abilities. 

The last excuses Moses gave God was just a simple I quit.  “O Lord, please send someone else to do it.”  Moses just couldn’t think of any other good excuses other than he didn’t want to do it.  This was probably the worse thing to say.  The scripture says that God’s anger burned against Moses when he said that.  Telling God “No” is dangerous ground.  If you think about it, when you tell God “no” in a way you are saying “I know better than you God.”  God also had Aaron, Moses’ brother, to come and help speak for him also.  Thank goodness for other godly people around us that will help us when we need it.

I can remember the times when I first got started in ministry and I felt so unprepared and inadequate to do the task God had called me to in youth ministry.  God surrounded me with people who I could talk with and get advice, get encouragement from, and yes, even get a little correction from.  The next time God calls you to a particular ministry position, place, or plan be take confidence in the fact that it is God calling you and not anyone else.  Take captive those thoughts that come from the devil and try to convince you that you are not good enough, smart enough, old enough, too old, or any other thought that he may try to use on you.

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Posted by John Weldon