A closer look at excuses

We’re back in Exoduses today in Chapters 3 & 4 because I just can’t get enough of them. Plus there is just so much goodness to be had in those lovely chapters. Today I just want to take a closer look at the excuses that Moses throws up to the Lord. Not really the responses but the excuses themselves and how we can relate (or rather how I related to them all personal thoughts will be in the parenthesis you’re welcome).

Excuse 1:
v. 11 “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?”

Oh excuse 1 is deeper then we first give credit for when rushing through at first glance. It is a root issue not a just a flippant response or excuse. Moses isn’t simply saying I give a pass. He’s asking a sincere question that even I have asked over the years.

Who am I

I am no one of importance in the scheme of things Lord. No one recognizes me. I was a babe drawn from the rive that the Pharaoh’s daughter took in and raised as a son then I spit on that and threw it away. I am no one.

Who am I?

Yes we all know Moses turns out to be someone. We all know he is important. We know that Pharaoh will recognize him, but take a moment to let it sink it he doesn’t. He doesn’t know how his story will end. I don’t know about you but, at least a dozen times in my life I’ve contemplated the same thing. I don’t know how my story shall end. Right now it’s been rather uneventful in the whole of history rather like Moses (granted no Pharaoh’s daughter ever took me in) but, to be honest I have no idea what they will write about me in history books. I still to this day have no idea why I was chosen to be an adopted daughter of the Lord. Yes I know I have a purpose to be fulfilled and yet I know not how my story shall end. So I ask

Who am I?

Remember that Moses killed a man? Yes for a righteous cause for beating another but one sin does not justify committing another.

Yet here is the Lord requesting his assistance to go and rescue his people from his brother from slavery. Go to the man that you were raised with as a brother and demand from this man that he release all his slaves because I say so. While you’re at it hope he has forgotten you killed one of his guards and fled from his side without saying goodbye. Moses’ is like “who am I to do such a thing? I’ve been herding sheep for the love of all things for 40 years? I freaking old I don’t have an army? What the what? What claim do I have? Don’t you know what crimes I have committed against this same Pharaoh? Don’t you know what I have done?” Granted Moses doesn’t come out and say all that (I mean when God calls you doesn’t some of your worst sins pop quickly into your head?) instead he keeps it classy and simply says,

“Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?”

Excuse 2

v. 13 “Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, the God of your (not our) fathers has sent me to you and they ask me, “What is his name?” Then what shall I tell them?”

Now excuse number 2 is just us playing the fantastic game of what if. We only play this game when we are either bored (which let’s be honest when a bush is on fire but not burning and the Lord is a talking through said bush you are probably not bored) drunk (which is this situation is possibly but probably not going to make it in the BIBLE for Pete’s sake so for the sake of an argument let’s side on the sake of sanity and say Moses wasn’t drinking on the job) or scared. We only play this game when the Lord is talking to us when we are scared.

I like to play it at work here’s a classic version of how my what if scenario goes: What if the sky is falling while I am trapped at work on a Tuesday (always on a Tuesday never any other day) and zombies are eating my boss’ face (sorry boss I don’t think this ever going to actual happen) off should I go ahead and finish this report or go ahead and head for home?

See how silly the what if situations can get? When Moses does the What If game I want to smack my forehead in excuse 2 and go Seriously Moses? SERIOUSLY?

PS Don’t act like you’ve never played the game. 

PSS: Anytime you have played this game you usually have done it in a fear or doubt induced 

moment. Take a second and think about it. When God is involved and we play the what if game it is usually because we are either doubting what He is throwing down or we are scared about what He is suggesting. I would bet money on it (then donate it because otherwise that would be wrong)

Excuse 3

Chapter 4 v.1 “WHAT IF (fear/doubt) they don’t believe me or listen to me and say, “The Lord did not appear to you.””

Now this one is not only driven by the classic what if game but, it also hits at a lot of our own natural insecurities does it not? I mean come on! How many times have we not wanted to tell certain people God told me this or God showed me that because we know that if we do they will either snicker at us, roll their eyes or question us and be like, are you sure it was God? 

There is nothing worse than having someone doubt that what you heard or saw was from God especially if you shared it with them in good faith and truly believed it to be so. Because then you start questioning it yourself.

Well crap on a cracker was it really from God? I mean come on after all it was just me, God and this burning bush that didn’t really burn. Did it really happened? WHAT IF (fear and doubt) it doesn’t happen exactly the I think it should is it still from God?
Crap on a cracker
See how it starts to spiral. Moses even though it is fear and doubt driven and definitely not faith based brought up an excuse WE ALL can at our very core relate to and at some point have suffered from, struggled with, or used at some point. When we are given a message, purpose, or vision from God there is at some small point a voice inside that goes WHAT IF they don’t believe it is from God,
WHAT IF they don’t believe me?

Excuse 4
v. 10 “Pardon your servant, Lord. I have never been eloquent neither in the past nor since you have spoken to your servant. I am slow of speech and tongue.

Oh Moses, how I love thee. Now we get to the superficial part of the excuses. The stuff man can see our beautiful insecurities that keep us from doing the things we love in life but, also keep us from doing the things God calls us to do too. They are things that people throughout our lives have pointed out to us as our weaknesses, or have teased us on, made fun of, used against us, or just pointed out and have stuck such as

-          Our weight

-          The way we mispronounce things

-          Our speech impediments

-          The way we talk with our hands

-          The way we blush too much

-          Our ADD

-          Our shyness

-          Our loudness

-          Our ability to blink as if our eyelids have wings

-          You name it and insert it here

Because Moses has your back on this and he attempted to use it on God as an excuse to get him out of a calling for you. Guess what brothers and sisters… it didn’t work. So I promise you this if it didn’t work for Moses it isn’t going to work for you (heads up buttercup)

Excuse 5 well not really an excuse at this point more of a plea
v. 13 “Pardon your servant, Lord, Please send someone else.”

Moses was like, “Look Lord I’ve presented 4 very good reasons why this isn’t a good idea so I am going to level with you Lord and be a straight shooter. It would just be better off for both of us if you would just send someone else. Okay thanks hugs and kisses Moses”

Ha! I love it! He’s polite and to the point with a cherry on top. Please Lord Jesus send someone else, ask anyone else but, me and thank you. Drops the mike and tries to walk off. But, God is done 

playing at this point and doesn’t let him get away with it. 

Which is where we will pick up next week: God’s anger burning against Moses (fun times)

Because the Lord does not always give us what we ask for, sometimes He gives us what He needs (which in turn), turns out to be what we need.

It’s getting good now folks I promise, hold on because you will want to stick around for the next bits J