Excuses - Ex. 3:7-4:18
Illustration:Whoever wants to be judge of human nature should study people’s excuses.
Hebbel.
Excuse - An attempt to release from an obligation or duty by mitigating circumstances. An apology used to gain exemption for service. A reason put forward to justify an offence.
Conclusion:
Ten Most Used Excuses:
1. I forgot.
2. No one told me to go ahead.
3. I didn’t think it was that important.
4. Wait until the boss comes back and ask him.
5. I didn’t know you were in a hurry for it.
6. That’s the way we’ve always done it.
7. That’s not in my department.
8. How was I to know this was different?
9. I’m waiting for an O.K.
10. That’s his job--not mine.
Bits & Pieces, November, 1989, p. 18.
We all tend to use excuses for a variety of reasons but there comes a time when the Lord will grow tired of our attempts to excuse ourselves from obedience to His will. Moses made excuses because he felt inadequate for the task of liberating his enslaved countrymen from the Egyptians. Even though it is natural for us to feel insufficient for the jobs God calls us to do we need to remember, "The just shall live by faith." (Rom. 1:17) Abraham learned that lesson and did not stagger with unbelief, but grew strong in faith being fully persuaded that what God had promised, He had the power to bring to completion. (Rom. 4:20,21)
Let us examine some of the excuses that Moses offered to God to see how to avoid similar mistakes.
1. INADEQUACY - Moses felt inadequate because he looked at his own abilities rather than God’s mighty character. Paul learned how to overcome his own sense of inadequacy when he wrote, "Not that we are adequate to consider anything as coming from ourselves, but our adequacy is from God." (2 Cor. 3:5,6) Paul learned how the Spirit of God makes us competent to do everything God asks us to do with the help of Christ who gives us the strength, power and facility. Trust the Lord to help you overcome any inadequacy with the Spirit’s supernatural enabling, empowering and enlightening you with all spiritual adequacy.
Illustration: Johnny Unitas could have thought he was inadequate as he was cut from the Pittsburg Steelers and sent home with $10 bus fare money. They said he was too skinny, slow and did not have the arm strength needed for the NFL. Johnny never quit. His first game with the Baltimore colts, he threw an interception on his first play and fumbled on the next two series. But Johnny never quit. In one game, his nose was broke, he had a concussion and his teeth were knocked through his lower lip. He told the coach, I’ve got to get back in the game." The coach said, "Why?" Johnny said, "Look at the score board, we are behind." Unitas packed some mud on his lip to stop the bleeding and returned to the huddle and said, "Just block and we will win the game." Johnny won because his heart was in the game. They won the game because Johnny Unitas never quit with any excuses of inadequacy."
2. INSUFFICIENCY - Moses felt insufficient to speak to the people. Many of us do not feel we have had sufficient training or experience to do what God wants us to do. The number one phobia that Americans have is the fear of public speaking. Many are afraid of being seen to be inarticulate in any way since we do not like being laughed at or made to feel embarrassed. Moses said, "I have not been eloquent neither recently nor in times past." God replied, "Who made your mouth. And who makes some deaf, some blind and some to see. Now go and do as I have told you, I will help you speak well and I will tell you what you are to say." (Ex. 4:10,11) Some of us need to know that God will give us on the job training. The Lord looked at Moses’ problem very differently. Instead, the Lord reminded Moses who made him the way he was. Who better than the Lord could give Moses the ability to express the message of deliverance with articulative wisdom and passion.
Illustration:A poor workman always finds fault with his tools.
Bits & Pieces, May 1990, p. 10.
3. WEAKNESSES - Moses felt that he was too weak to lead two million Israelities out of Egypt. The Lord had to remind Moses that it would be by His mighty power that the victory would come. God said, "If they do not believe the first miraculous sign, they will believe the second. If they do not believe after these two signs, then take some water from the Nile River and pour it out on the dry ground. When you do it, it will turn into blood."(Ex. 4:8,9) God will perform miracles in and through and with our lives if we believe Him. Let us remember what God told Zerubbabel, "NOt by power or by might, but by my Spirit says the Lord, this mountain will be removed." (Zech 4:6,7) When we are weak then God can show Himself strong. Paul wrote, "Your grace is sufficient for my weakness. For when I am weak, then I am strong, the less I have the more I depend on you." (2 cor. 12:9,10)
4. LOW SELF-IMAGE - Moses said, "Who am I to appear before Pharoah? Too many people suffer from a low view of who God has made them to be. They do not like something about their appearance, their ability or their aptitude. Fortunately, the Lord does not make any mistakes with his creation. God is able to work in us both to will and to do of His good pleasure if we will just focus our attention on Christ’s command, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, your soul, your strength and your mind and your neighbor, AS YOURSELF." (Luke 10:27) Learn how to be one of your own best friends. Appreciate all the great gifts, abilities and strengths the Lord has given you. Thank Him for making you the way you are knowing that His love makes you perfectly capable of doing whatever He asks of you.
5. LOW VIEW OF GOD - Moses said, "If I go to the people of Israel and tell them, The God of your ancestors has sent me to you, they won’t believe me. They will ask, ’Which god are you talking about? What is his name? Then what should I tell them?" Many of us have too small of a view of God. When I was in Nigeria, the children’s church choir would often sing their favorite song with passion, "We have a biggy, biggy Jesus... He’s bigger than all our problems." God said, "Tell them, I AM has sent you." The Lord is the pre-existing one. He is whatever we need. If we need courage, He will be our courage. If we need articulative speech, He will speak through us. If we need love, if will supply us with a love for an unlovely people.
Praise God that He is greater than all of your problems, excuses or limited understanding. J. B. Phillips has written a classic book entitled, "Your God is too Small." He describes how many people are guilty of viewing God as smaller, weaker and less capable than He really is. Get to know all of God’s marvelous attributes and praise Him that all power and authority in heaven and earth are in our Lord.
6. CHANGES - Moses was afraid that the Israelities would think that god say one thing today and another tomorrow. Jesus Christ is the same, yesterday, today and forever." (Heb. 13:8) God, unlike the gods in Egypt has eternal power, truthfulness and reliability. Even though we live in a world that is constantly changing in its values, morals and what is popular, we can count on God to be immutable in all ways. We can praise God for His stability, security and unchanging promises.
7. INEFFECTIVENESS - Moses was afraid of failing. He said, "Look, Lord, they won’t believe me! They won’t do what I tell them. They’ll just say, "The Lord never appeared to you." In essence, Moses was afraid of failing. We as Americans do not lack to be seen as losers. We love to win. We prize success as a virtue that is highly esteemed in every aspect of our lives. We are afraid that someone might not recognize our achievements or fail to recognize our accomplishment and call us a dismal failure. Perhaps, many of us need to remember what Lincoln said at the worst part of the Civil War, "With God I cannot fail. Without God I cannot succeed."
8. PRESSURES - Moses was afraid of the pressure he would get from his peers. Many people are afraid of what others will say about them behind their backs. Let us remember that God will fight the battles for us. We need to let the criticisms bounce off our shield of faith recognizing that the Spirit of God will be our advocate - defending us and interceding for us in our times of weakness. He is far better able to give you the victory than any human defense attorney. God told Moses, "The Lord, the God of the Hebrews has met with us, the leaders of the people of Israel will accept your message. Let us go on a three day journey into the wilderness to offer sacrifices to the Lord our God." (Ex. 3:18) Trust the Lord to give you godly companions who you can colloborate with in the battle. God will always raise up faithful, reliable and enable people who will share the burdens of leadership, if you ask him for them. Do not think you have to carry the mantle of leadership all by yourself.
9. SEND SOMEONE ELSE - Moses pleaded with God to send a substitute in his place. Too many of us are excusing ourselves from service to God by asking for substitutes. There are 280 million Americans but only 45,000 of us are full time overseas missionaries. That is a very low percentage. It was at this point that the Lord became incensed with Moses. The Bible says, "The Lord became very angry with Moses and said, "All right, What about your brother Aaron? He is a good speaker. You will talk with to him, giving him the words to say. I will help both of you to speak, clearly, and I will tell you what to do. Aaron will be your spokesman to the people." (Ex. 4:13-15) Sometimes God makes special provisions to help us through stages of maturity when we need assistants to help us over the humps in life. Ask the Lord to give you faithful friends and fellow yoke-people who can complement your strengths and weaknesses. Act as a member of the body of Christ instead of a lone ranger.
10. UNWILLINGESS - Moses did not have enough of a burden for the ministry of deliverance. He was unwilling to deny his own rights and surrender everything to the Lord. Too many of us are too comfortable in our own lifestyles unwilling to give us the ease, conveniences and predicability of our schedules to relinquish control to the Lord. Jesus said, "If any man will come after Me. Let him deny himself, take up His cross daily and follow me. For whoever will not give up all that He has cannot be my disciple." (Luke 9:23, Luke 14:33) Only when we see that Jesus was willing to do everything for our sake will we be wiling to do His will.
Song- Must Jesus bear the cross alone and all the world go free. No there’s a cross for everyone and there’s a cross for me."
Willing - To be ready to consent or undertake what we know to do is right.
Song - Lord, make me like you, please make me like you. You are servant. Make me one too. Lord, now I am willing. Do what you must do. To make me like you Lord, please make me like you."
Conclusion:Lawyer and statesman Daniel Webster was a powerful orator who gave early evidence of his quick mind and way with words. One day Webster’s father, who was to be absent from home, left Daniel and his brother Ezekiel specific work instructions. But on his return he found the task still undone, and questioned his sons about their idleness. "What have you been doing, Ezekiel?" he asked. "Nothing, sir." "Well, Daniel, what have you been doing?" "Helping Zeke, sir."
Today in the Word, September 19, 1992.
