Moses Excuses
Moses answered, “What if they won’t believe me and will not obey me but say, ‘The Lord did not appear to you’?” The Lord asked him, “What is that in your hand?” “A staff,” he replied. Throw it on the ground,” he said. So Moses threw it on the ground, it became a snake, and he ran from it.Exodus 4:1-3 (CSB)
Moses’ third excuse why God shouldn’t send him to Egypt is: “They won’t believe me.” God’s response is: “I’ll do miracles.” Moses’ first two excuses are all about him: I’m not qualified. I don’t know enough. But his third excuse is all about other people.
When people are polled about their greatest fear, you know what tops the list? Public speaking. Why? Because we’re afraid of what other people think of us. We’re afraid of looking stupid. Or clumsy. Or weak.
And if our job has to do with influencing other people, then we get really afraid. How can I make others do the right thing? Or believe the truth? What if I don’t do a good enough job and they don’t? That’s what Moses was afraid of.
But here God reminds us who He is. He’s the God who spoke the matter and energy of the universe into being. He’s the God who said, “Let there be…” and then there was light, order, a place for life, plants, birds, fish, creatures of endless variety and complexity, planets, stars, and the human race fresh and sinless.
He does what we can’t. He does miracles. Whether it’s changing a staff into a snake, or creating faith in a heart that used to be dead. Will they believe Moses? No, they won’t. But the Lord can do what Moses cannot, and through His powerful hand, many will come to believe.
Heavenly Father, work in us the greatest miracle of faith, so that we can see your powerful works and not be afraid. Amen.