Live Before You Die - Study Series
But I Don't Have Enough Talent Part 5
Chapter 14 Enemy # 4 The Sedative of Excuses Part 5
Whenever I hear people use these excuses, it reminds me of when God called Moses in Exodus 3. The Lord appeared to Moses in a flame of fire out of the midst of a burning bush and said, “Come now therefore, and I will send thee unto Pharaoh, that thou mayest bring forth my people the children of Israel out of Egypt” (v. 10). Immediately Moses’s mind filled with excuses—all the things he didn’t have and couldn’t do.
Moses was not a general—he was a shepherd. He was not a polished orator—he had a stuttering tongue. He was not equipped to lead a nation—he had his hands full leading a flock of sheep. How could he possibly do what God was asking him to do? “Who am I,” Moses asks, “that I should go unto Pharaoh, and that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt?” (Exod. 3:11). And here we see Moses’s mistake. He made the error of thinking it was about him—about his talents, abilities, and gifts. But God quickly corrects Moses over and over throughout the rest of the chapter:
• “I am the God of your father” (Exod. 3:6, nas, emphasis added).
• “I will send you to Pharaoh” (Exod. 3:10, nas, emphasis added ).
• “Certainly I will be with thee” (Exod. 3:12, emphasis added).
• “I am that I am” (Exod. 3:14, emphasis added).
• “I will bring you up” (Exod. 3:17, emphasis added).
• “I will stretch out my hand” (Exod. 3:20, emphasis added).
• “I will give this people favour” (Exod. 3:21, emphasis added).
By the end of the conversation Moses had learned a very valuable lesson. The great I am is the Great “I will.” God is the fulfiller of His Word. He is not looking for the most talented, the most intelligent, the most beautiful, the most articulate, the most educated, or the most charismatic. He is looking for those who will follow, who will yield, and who will obey.
If you don’t feel qualified for one reason or another, take courage from the disciples. When Jesus chose them, He didn’t go to the University of Jerusalem. He didn’t select the brightest young minds from the synagogue. He went down to the fishing docks and chose some roughneck fishermen. This motley group of ragtag laymen was certainly not the “cream of the crop,” but Jesus made a deal with them. Jesus said, “If you will follow Me, I will make you.” (See Matthew 4:19.) My friend, that is the same deal Jesus makes with every one of us. If we will follow Him, He will make us. Following Jesus is so simple because you don’t need to know the way. You don’t need to be the miracle worker. You don’t need to be the savior. You don’t need to be the healer. Your job is to stop making excuses, let Him lead, do whatever He tells you to do, and follow!
