Excuses, Excuses, Excuses!

Once again, I learn so much from a story that I think I know so well. Reading back in Exodus of God calling Moses to lead the Israelites out of Egypt and how it actually plays out is fascinating.

When God began to call Moses in chapter 3, Moses asks why him. God tells him all that He will do and tells him it will not be easy. Since Moses' other attempts had not worked, he tried to give the excuse of not being an eloquent speaker, but God provided an answer to that as well. God who made man's mouth would enable him to speak. Moses once again asks that God send the message by whomever He would send. Was he deaf too? God was sending him. God was angered by Moses' excuses but was set upon His plan, so He permitted Aaron to be Moses' mouthpiece.

Moses and Aaron went to speak to Pharoah. Rather than receiving the message with open arms, Pharoah increased the workload of the Israelites. He would keep them too busy to worship. (Do you find yourself like that sometimes? That is not God.) So the people got mad at Moses and did not appreciate what he was there to do. Sometimes we can get distracted and blame the wrong person. It was Pharoah who had increased their work load, not Moses.

Then Moses goes back to God to make sure he is really doing what God commands. When we are weary because life does not go like we plan or the promise does not come fast enough, we can go back to God for assurance, but we must be ready for His answer.

God reminds Moses who He is and why he was sent. "I am the Lord." It was not about Moses. It was not really even about the Israelites or the Egyptians. It was about God being worshipped and glorified.

Moses goes to deliver God's message to the Israelites, who are less than receptive. Moses once again gives excuses as to why he could not speak before Pharoah. If the Israelites would not listen, why would Pharoah? Once again, God reminded Moses, "I am the Lord."

How many times was Moses going to give excuses about not being able to speak? Had God not already made His point? How many times would Moses make excuses? How many times would he allow his own inadequacies to distract him from what God was doing?
How often do I?