I love the story of Moses. From the beginning with the midwives (Exodus 1:16-21) to Miriam’s role to the plagues to the Exodus, Moses’ story is a wonderful one.

Today, I want to look toward the beginning of his story. You see, Moses wasn’t always the fearless leader. He wasn’t always parting the Red Sea or talking to God on the mountain. Sometimes, he was more relatable to you and me. Sometimes, he was making excuses.

In Exodus 3 and 4, God has sanctified Moses and is giving him a job: to lead the chosen people (Israel) out of bondage. However, Moses isn’t exactly jumping at the opportunity; instead, he is telling God he’s really not cut out for the position. Here are some of the reasons Moses gives:

1: Who am I? (3:11)

Moses thinks he’s nobody. He asks God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh?” Who am I that this person will listen to me. And yet, God tells Moses that it doesn’t matter who he is, it matters who is with him–and God has promised that He will be.

When it comes to doing the Lord’s work, a lot of people ask ‘who am I?’. They don’t believe they are the person to head a committee, to start a Bible study, to start an evangelistic initiative. And yet, in Christianity, it is a dangerous thing to start asking ‘who am I‘, because the New Testament is replete with passages commanded us to be humble (Luke 14:11, 1 Pet. 5:6). However, we must recognize that humility isn’t putting yourself down, thinking you’re nobody. Instead, humility is not thinking about yourself at all. You were created with a purpose, and that purpose was to be the hands-feet-arms-legs-mouth of Jesus, who died in your stead. When it comes to doing the Lord’s work, stop asking who am I to do this, and start thinking Christ died so that I could do this. And then get to work!

2: Who are You? (3:13)

Once Moses’ first excuse is shot down, he says to God, ‘When I come to the children of Israel and say to them, the God of your fathers has sent me to you, and they shall say to me ‘what is His name’, what shall I say to them? Have you ever felt like you don’t have the answer to something? Here’s Moses, walking through scenario after scenario with God, and he is basically saying, what am I going to answer these people when they ask me questions–I don’t even know Your name! But what is God’s response? He tells Moses His name, and provides Him with the answers he needs.

God’s Book is filled with the answers to all of the question we need. Why, then, do we shy away from Bible studies with others because they may ask us something we don’t know. Are we not acting like Moses? One of my favorite phrases that Jesus said is found at the conclusion of the Great Commission. He said, “teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” (Matt. 28:20) How often have we heard that phrase quoted, and yet we never put it together with its context! Jesus is talking about evangelism, and it is at the end of that command that He says He will be with us! When we evangelize, Jesus is with us. Like God was with Moses as he did His will, so Jesus will be with us as we do His will! What a great comfort, and again, a shutting down of our excuses.

3: I’m not able. (4:10)

Moses starts getting down on himself now. He starts putting down all of his abilities, or rather, his lack thereof. He says to God, “O my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither before nor since You have spoken to Your servant; but I am slow  of speech and slow of tongue.” God’s response: Who made your mouth? I made you and I can use you.

We must be careful when we start putting down our abilities. God made us. He knows our talents and our shortcomings. He knows every single part of us! It may very well be that we aren’t the 10 talent man or the 5 talent man, but we know we have at least one talent that we can use for the Lord–and He knows that too. Do not deceive yourself into thinking that you’re aren’t talented enough to do His work. He made you. He knows you. That excuse definitely won’t work on Him.

4: Send someone else. (4:13)

Moses has been pushing God up until this point, and God has graciously answered all of Moses’ concerns. But now, at the point that Moses says, ‘please send by the hand of whomever else You may send’, God’s anger is kindled. He offers no more answers; no more tolerance. Point: asking God to send someone else in your place is not acceptable. Not at all.

God sends Aaron, Moses’ brother, with him. He helps Moses and guides him, but He is not happy with him. In the same way, if we try to push our Christian service off on someone else, God will not be happy with us. His anger will be kindled with us, because He is a just God.

Examine your life. Examine the areas where you have the opportunity to serve, and ask yourself why you aren’t. Are you making excuses? What would God say to those excuses? What has He said to those excuses? Be careful, though. Be careful not to ask God to send someone else. That isn’t an excuse. No, that’s a sin. Each and every one of us is required to go (Mk 16:15-16). Let us all answer as Isaiah did, and say to God, “Here am I! Send me!” (Is. 6:8).