YAHWEH'S MOUTHPIECE

Before you continue this read, have you read the previous posts in this series? If no, read them here.

We live in a world of excuses. Every man looks for a way to cover up his actions and inactions. Factually, excuse giving began from the fall – Adam giving the excuse that his wife gave him to eat of the fruit, Eve saying the serpent beguiled her. Well, this is not what I’m talking about today.

I want to talk about the man, Moses. The LORD had appeared to him and given him the commission to bring Israel out of Egypt. What he had was excuses, excuses for not being willing to go to Egypt. We will see that he wasn’t willing to go not that he wasn’t able to go. Many also give excuses to God when He calls us to His work and to a specific assignment. I have had excuses before why I thought I wasn’t able to do what God was saying I should. I’m not sharing that today, but we want to look at the excuses of Moses because the excuses many of us have today can be linked to the excuses Moses gave.

First is his insufficiency. Moses said, “Who am I that I should go unto Pharaoh, and that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt.” He felt he wasn’t worthy to do so. That, in a sense, is a good one. The psalmist said, “what is man that thou art mindful of him? or the son of man that thou visitest him?” God doesn’t choose the “worthy” ones. He uses weak things to manifest His strength. And because He chose you who is “close to nothing”, as you see yourself little, it further proves that He is God because it is His nature to manifest His strength through weak things that the glory will be to Him. 2 Corinthians 4:7, “But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power might be of God and not of us.” And that is why God assured him that He will be with him. This is the best assurance that you can get, that the All-sufficient God will be with you.

In another sense, I think the aspect of man’s insufficiency has been taken beyond the boundary such that it appears as we don’t have the all-sufficient One with us in the guise of humility. I count it not pride to talk of our ability not because of our self-sufficiency; but by reason of God’s infinite ability demonstrated in our frailty and humanity. David was a man confident that he would bring Goliath down, not because he had the best of weapons or his physical strength could match that of Goliath, but that he had a God in him who heaven and earth cannot contain and to whom Goliath was smaller than a mustard seed. Paul said, “I can do all things.”, not because he was a superman but because of strength supernatural available and released to him (through Christ who strengthens him). It is high time we begin to profess “I can”. If it is God who called you, then His strength will definitely be made manifest in your weakness. Hence, you can, by the strengthening of Christ.

Having gotten an answer to his first excuse, Moses comes up with another, “…they will not believe me not hearken to my voice…” He probably said this because some of the promises God made seemed unbelievable. Imagine telling a people who had been in bondage for over four hundred years “the God of your fathers sent me to tell you that He will bring you out of this bondage and take you to your own land and when you are leaving you will spoil the same people who oppressed you…” It appeared as a promise too good to be true. Many times, we give this same excuse of “they will not believe.” We worry over the fulfilment of what God tells us to declare. And because our own minds can’t comprehend how it will happen, we wonder how the people will believe and accept these sayings. Yours is to declare as you have been sent. It is God’s to do as He has said. Don’t worry over how God will bring to pass the things He said He will do, just do as He has told you to. In response to Moses’ excuse, God gives him signs. God doesn’t call us to be mere storytellers but also sign carriers. Where are the signs that ought to follow? It is important to note that the signs are a sequel to the sayings. There can’t be a demonstration of God’s might unless there has been a declaration of His mind. It was after Moses had said that which he was told to say that he performed those signs as instructed.

His next excuse was his incapacity by reason of a “deformity”. “I am not eloquent,” he said. God answers with a question. “Who made man’s mouth?” Many excuse themselves by reason of their perceived deformity, others a weakness in their personality. And they say, “Lord, I can’t, I am this, I am that…” The God who called you is the same God who made you. He called you and made you for Himself. If that thing which makes you feel incapable was sufficient to hinder you from doing that which you have been called to, you wouldn’t have been called. He knew those weaknesses before He called you and it is through those weaknesses, He wants to manifest His strength.

Moses, having no other excuse to give, tells God to send another person. Hmmm. May we not get to that point. Do not ever tell God to find another person for His work. The Potter who made His vessel gets to define what the vessel will be used for. Even when you think you’re not fit for that which He wants to use you for, yield for He knows all things and it is in His power to do that which He wills. It is by mercy that you were chosen. If you are not used by the one who created you, then you are useless and if God leaves you and doesn’t use you, you will rust and rot.

When the Lord calls, give no excuse. He didn’t make a mistake choosing you. No, not at all. Neither did He mistake you for another. He chose you because He wants to use you. All you can say is “Behold your servant/ handmaid, be it unto me according to your word.” You may not comprehend it. He doesn’t need you to understand it, all He wants is that you believe it and He will do it.

May the Lord help us.

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