One of the most common beliefs that people have when it comes to serving God and making Him known to others is that they do not feel equipped. They feel that they lack the skills needed or feel unprepared to do whatever it may be that God is calling them to do. If you have ever felt a nudge from God to serve Him or take a big step but have felt unqualified or unequipped, you are not alone. Even Moses had those same concerns, but in the midst of those concerns, God reminded him that He was with Him and could accomplish big things through him.
We read about Moses in the book of Exodus. During his time, the Israelites had been enslaved in Egypt. For years, they faced the torture and pain of being enslaved in Egypt. God observed their heartache and made a plan: Moses would lead His people, the Israelites, out of Egypt. He called Moses to lead the Israelites out of slavery in Exodus 3. He appeared to Moses in the form of a burning bush and said, "Go, for I am sending you to Pharaoh. You must lead my people Israel out of Egypt” (verse 10). In response to God’s command, Moses made excuses, much like I probably would have. He said to God, "Who am I to appear before Pharaoh? Who am I to lead the people out of Egypt?" (verse 11). God responded to his protest, "I will be with you" (verse 12). Despite this promise, Moses still protested. He made excuse after excuse, but each step of the way, God reassured Moses of His presence and power. His persistence continued into chapter 4, and God continued promising His power and presence. He said to Moses, "Now go! I will be with you as you speak, and I will instruct you in what to say" (verse 12). He even provided Aaron to help him spread the message. Finally, Moses accepted God’s command and calling on his life: to lead the Israelites out of Egypt.
Just like Moses, we all have an essential role to play in God's story. God calls us to serve, share our faith, and love Him and the people around us. The question is, what will we do with that calling? Will we make excuses, or will we lean into God’s power in the areas where we feel weak? After all, God is a provider. When He gives us a command, He walks with us through it and provides His power in the areas where we feel weak. Will you trust Him and His power to work in your weaknesses?
What have you been holding off from doing because you felt unqualified or unequipped? Maybe you have been feeling like God is leading you to serve, but you feel unprepared or unqualified to take that step to serve. Maybe you feel the Lord prompting you to share your faith, but you feel worried you will mess up or not know what to say. It is time to let go of excuses and remember to take the pressure off of yourself because God uses unqualified, unequipped, and unprepared people like Moses and works through us. You never know the impact your step of obedience may have!
1One day Moses was tending the flock of his father-in-law, Jethro, the priest of Midian. He led the flock far into the wilderness and came to Sinai, the mountain of God. 2 There the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a blazing fire from the middle of a bush. Moses stared in amazement. Though the bush was engulfed in flames, it didn’t burn up. 3 “This is amazing,” Moses said to himself. “Why isn’t that bush burning up? I must go see it.”
4 When the Lord saw Moses coming to take a closer look, God called to him from the middle of the bush, “Moses! Moses!”
“Here I am!” Moses replied.
5 “Do not come any closer,” the Lord warned. “Take off your sandals, for you are standing on holy ground. 6 I am the God of your father—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” When Moses heard this, he covered his face because he was afraid to look at God.
7 Then the Lord told him, “I have certainly seen the oppression of my people in Egypt. I have heard their cries of distress because of their harsh slave drivers. Yes, I am aware of their suffering. 8 So I have come down to rescue them from the power of the Egyptians and lead them out of Egypt into their own fertile and spacious land. It is a land flowing with milk and honey—the land where the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites now live. 9 Look! The cry of the people of Israel has reached me, and I have seen how harshly the Egyptians abuse them. 10 Now go, for I am sending you to Pharaoh. You must lead my people Israel out of Egypt.”
11 But Moses protested to God, “Who am I to appear before Pharaoh? Who am I to lead the people of Israel out of Egypt?”
12 God answered, “I will be with you. And this is your sign that I am the one who has sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you will worship God at this very mountain.”
13 But Moses protested, “If I go to the people of Israel and tell them, ‘The God of your ancestors has sent me to you,’ they will ask me, ‘What is his name?’ Then what should I tell them?”
14 God replied to Moses, “I am who i am. Say this to the people of Israel: I am has sent me to you.” 15 God also said to Moses, “Say this to the people of Israel: Yahweh, the God of your ancestors—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob—has sent me to you.
This is my eternal name,
my name to remember for all generations.
16 “Now go and call together all the elders of Israel. Tell them, ‘Yahweh, the God of your ancestors—the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob—has appeared to me. He told me, “I have been watching closely, and I see how the Egyptians are treating you. 17 I have promised to rescue you from your oppression in Egypt. I will lead you to a land flowing with milk and honey—the land where the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites now live.”’
18 “The elders of Israel will accept your message. Then you and the elders must go to the king of Egypt and tell him, ‘The Lord, the God of the Hebrews, has met with us. So please let us take a three-day journey into the wilderness to offer sacrifices to the Lord, our God.’
19 “But I know that the king of Egypt will not let you go unless a mighty hand forces him. 20 So I will raise my hand and strike the Egyptians, performing all kinds of miracles among them. Then at last he will let you go. 21 And I will cause the Egyptians to look favorably on you. They will give you gifts when you go so you will not leave empty-handed. 22 Every Israelite woman will ask for articles of silver and gold and fine clothing from her Egyptian neighbors and from the foreign women in their houses. You will dress your sons and daughters with these, stripping the Egyptians of their wealth.”
