I’m sure like any other teenager, my
years were full of buts. Go do the
dishes- but mom, I’m reading. Clean your
room- but mom, I like it messy. Drive
your mom to the store- but I’m going to my friend’s? Play with your cousins- but they’re so
little. Eat your liver- but I don’t like
it. Make some dinner- but I’m a bad
cook. Most of the time I was just trying
to get out of things that I didn’t want to do, in favour of doing what I liked
to do, but sometimes it was based in fear of embarrassment, imperfection, loss
of reputation, or other fears.
There are many people in the Bible that
gave excuses as well. Gideon excused
himself from obedience because of his lack of status (Jd. 6:15). Elijah excused
his poor attitude on his belief that he was alone (1Kn. 19:10). Jonah
blamed his disobedience on God (Jn. 4:1,2).
Anyway, you get the picture. The
human, fallen nature is prone to using ‘buts’ for whatever purpose suits us,
but when it comes to Jehovah, it is best to leave the ‘buts’ out.
One very prominent man in Scripture is
Moses, and most of us think quite highly of him- after all, look at the
miracles of God he showed forth. But
Moses got off to a rocky start. First
off, though he knew he was a Hebrew (Ex. 2:11),
he did not really relate to the God of his people. And so it was at close to the age of 80,
Moses met God in the desert of Midian.
And Jehovah saw that he had turned aside to see. God
called to him out of the midst of the thorn bush, and said, Moses! Moses! And
he said, Here I am. Ex. 3:4
(God commissions him) And now go,
and I will send you to Pharaoh, that you may bring forth My people, the sons of
Israel, out of Egypt. Ex. 3:10
(to 22)
The ‘buts’ of Moses…
(with my thoughts on what could
be behind the buts)
And Moses answered and said, But,
behold, they will not believe me nor listen to my voice. For they will say,
Jehovah has not appeared to you. Ex. 4:1
Lord, but no one’s going to
believe me so my reputation is on the line.
I don’t want to be embarrassed.
Besides, what will they think of me?
What if they ignore me? What if
this doesn’t work?
--God gives signs to Moses to use
as proof
But Moses said to the LORD,
"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." Ex. 4:10
ESV
Lord, I don’t have what it
takes. I’m not worthy. I’m not good enough. I don’t have as much talent as so and so. I’m just a homemaker. I never do anything right or I always mess
things up.
God gives assurance --I am the
Creator and will give you everything you need to do this job!
But he said, "Oh, my Lord,
please send someone else." Ex. 4:13 ESV
Lord, send someone else. They’ll do it better. I don’t want to do it. I’m too afraid. It seems too big for me. Someone with more authority would be better
at it. I have responsibilities at home-
a wife, kids.
--Then the anger of the LORD was
kindled against Moses… (v.14)
--fine, I’ll let your brother
speak for you
Though Moses got out of some of the
responsibility, I have to wonder what blessings he may have lost. But… this post is about ‘buts’. Buts used with the Lord are usually based on
one big thing- lack of trust. We don’t
trust Him to pick the right person for the job.
We don’t trust Him to know us well enough and that we are capable. We don’t trust Him enough to be with us
through the difficulties. We don’t trust
His power to go with us, be in us. We
don’t trust Him enough to work through us.
We don’t trust Him enough with control over our reputations. And we certainly don’t trust that He knows
best.
Isn’t that sort of calling Him
stupid?
(very scary thought!!!)
We wouldn’t do that, would we?
Blessed is the man who trusts in Jehovah, and Jehovah is
his trust.
Jer. 17:7