“So what squad were you on?”
Man. If I had a dollar for every time I have heard this phrase over the past couple of days, I would be able to fully fund my own world race! In the realm of AIM, being an apprentice in CGA before going on the race is by no means wrong, but it is highly unusual.
As I walk through the office, completely surrounded by amazing, world changing, wise, funny, intelligent, experienced former racers, I can’t help but feel slightly inadequate.
And when I say I feel slightly inadequate I mean that I feel really, REALLY inadequate.
So what do I do now? Turn to scripture.
Throwback to the old testament(don’t get too excited, y’all). Exodus. Chapters 3 and 4. The Lord appears to Moses, telling him that he will be the one to lead the Israelites out of Egypt. And the first thing Moses does? He makes up FIVE different excuses as to why he is not worthy of this task.
Exodus 3:11, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?”
Basically, Moses is saying he isn’t important enough to do this thing the Lord has asked of him. To this excuse, the Lord responds that He will be with Moses. Simple as that.
Exodus 3:13, “If I come to the people of Israel and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ what shall I say to them?”
Here, Moses is basically claiming that he wouldn’t know what to say. Again, the Lord immediately provides him with an answer, saying “Say this to the people of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me to you.’”
Exodus 4:1, “But behold, they will not believe me or listen to my voice, for they will say, ‘The Lord did not appear to you.”
Here, Moses is doubtful that people will believe him even if he says that the Lord is the one who sent him. When Moses confessed these doubts to the Lord, He responded with not one, but two signs of his authenticity.
Exodus 4:10, “Oh, my Lord, I am not eloquent, either in the past or since you have spoken to your servant, but I am slow of speech and of tongue.”
By this point, you can tell Moses is running out of excuses to not do the Lords will. He argues that he is not a good speaker, which is why the Lord should pick someone else. To this, the Lord says, “Who has made man’s mouth?” BOOM. The Lord literally crafted us cell by cell. To think that He was going to ask us to do something and then not provide for us in the moment is slightly ridiculous.
Finally…
Exodus 4:13, “Oh, my Lord, please send someone else.”
Here, the Lord is just pissed. He gets in his face, and says, Moses, I don’t want anyone else to do this! I want YOU to do this! JUST DO THE THING MOSES.
Do you think that any of these excuses that Moses provides are ones that we may have also given to the Lord at one point or another? I know that I most definitely used all five over the past few weeks, but the one really hanging me up is the first(and to me the most difficult to get over).
Moses asks the Lord “Who am I…?” What do you mean, who are you?! You’re freaking Moses!
BUT, in the moment that Moses asks these things of the Lord, he doesn’t know what is around the corner. Of the greatness that awaits his future generations. All he knows is that he doesn’t feel worthy enough to do what is being asked of him.
Man. I have BEEN there. I AM there. But He gently reminds me, “Alexis. I will be with you.” And He is. He has been, He will continue to be, and He is.
So ask yourself. Are you making the five excuses? If you are, take comfort in the fact that you’re in good company. But also know that you won’t be able to build your foundation on excuses. The Lord loves to wreck us in beautiful, beautiful ways, and you, my friend, are no exception.
