It's
human nature to make excuses. Consider Moses. He was uniquely qualified
to lead Israel out of Egyptian slavery. After all, he grew up as the
adopted son of Pharaoh. He understood the politics and government of
Egypt. He knew the temperament of Pharaoh. Who else better to lead
Israel to freedom than Moses?
Yet, he made excuses as to why he was
unqualified for the task:
Moses said to the
Lord, "O Lord, I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since
you have spoken to your servant. I am slow of speech and tongue." The
Lord said to him, "Who gave man his mouth? Who makes him deaf or mute?
Who gives him sight or makes him blind? Is it not I, the Lord? Now go; I
will help you speak and will teach you what to say." But Moses said, "O
Lord, please send someone else to do it" (Ex 4:10-13).
Even great saints have been known to
make excuses. Moses was not "slow of speech and tongue" as he
claimed. Stephen comments on Moses' ability, "Moses was educated in
all the wisdom of the Egyptians and was powerful in speech and action"
(Acts 7:22). You see, God never calls you to do something that He will
not equip you to do. You may think you are not equipped, but in reality,
you are fully capable of fulfilling God's call on your life. As an old
saying goes, "Whatever God calls for He provides for."
As a child of God you are capable of
being holy. I know sometimes people say that sainthood is for someone
else, but sainthood is for all of God's children. You are capable of
being holy.
People
with Limitations
Ray Rios is a high school student who
is a member of my church. He was born without fingers. His right hand has
just stubbles. Yet Ray is a top baseball pitcher for his school. The
Cincinnati Reds has even scouted him. Ray could have easily concluded
that if God wanted him to play sports, God would have given him two good
hands. But in Ray's mind, you just need one hand to pitch.
Have you heard of Mordecai "Three
Fingers" Brown? He helped win two World Series. He was inducted into the
Baseball Hall of Fame in 1949. He was called "Three Fingers" because on
his throwing hand he does not have an index finger, hence, three
fingers. Yet his lack of an index finger proved to be a blessing. He was
able to pitch spinners that batters were not used to seeing. His
handicap was actually a blessing.
David Ring came to my church and shared
his own personal story of triumph. He was born with cerebral palsy. On
top of this birth defect, his mother died when he was just a child. He
was tossed to different foster families and was eventually raised by his
older sister. He was so depressed that he attempted suicide. But his
sister took him to church and there, for the first time, he heard the
clear gospel message. He surrendered his life to Christ. David had a new
purpose. He told his pastor in his very difficult to understand speech,
"Pastor, I want to be a preacher."
"David, that is admirable, but son, you
can't talk right. People will not be able to pay attention and
understand your preaching because of your cerebral palsy."
David Ring ignored his pastor and
started his ministry. As it turns out, more people have heard the gospel
from David than from his own pastor. David's speech impediment has
actually opened doors for him. There are plenty of preachers with great
voices, but not many like David's.
David likes to begin his message with
stuttering words, "I am David Ring. I have cerebral palsy, what's your
excuse?" Those words convict the listeners.
You may have a physical challenge, a
personality issue, maybe a divorce or financial problems or simply major
difficulties. Yet do not allow these circumstances to dissuade you from
following God's will for your life.
Bumble
Bee
I can relate to Moses. I grew up with a
speech impediment. I took speech therapy throughout my elementary
school. Thinking I was cured, I started pastoring and preaching the
gospel. One day I ran into a speech therapist. We got to talking about
our professions, when she asked, "Pastor Tom, have you ever thought of
taking speech therapy?"
"Funny you should ask. I took speech
therapy all through out my elementary school."
She looked embarrassed but forced her
opinion anyway, "Uh, well, have you thought of taking some additional
therapy?" What! I wasn't cured!? This expert still noticed my speech
impediment. I did not know I had one. Thank God I didn't know this
because I might have talked myself out of entering the ministry.
It reminds me of the bumble bee.
Experts of aerodynamics have studied the bumble bee carefully. They have
taken note of the bumble bees fat body and tiny wings. After studying
them carefully, they have concluded that bumble bees cannot fly.
I'm glad that the bumble bees haven't
read their conclusions. I think God gave us the bumble bee on purpose
just to teach us a lesson that what is impossible in the natural is
possible with God.
You
are a Masterpiece
Ephesians 2:10 says, "We are God's
masterpiece" (New Living Translation). A masterpiece is an
invaluable piece of art. You are "art" not "science." Scientists see us
a product of nature, not God. God is first an artist, before He is a
scientist. You are a product of an Artist, not of a biologist. God made
you. And you are made for a purpose. You are priceless to Him. You have
a job to do that only you can do. There is more to you than neurons,
muscle, skin, and bone. You are spiritual. It is your spiritual side
that connects with your divine purpose. Follow your heart and God will
lead you.
Gideon
The Lord called Gideon to "save
Israel out of the Midian's hand" (Judges 5:14). Gideon's initial
reaction was excuses, "But Lord, how can I save Israel? My clan is
the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my family." Unlike
Moses' unique qualification, Gideon seemed to have a legitimate reason
for being the unlikely candidate as the leader of Israel. Maybe you feel
the same.
I know I felt this when God called me
into the ministry. I was not born the son of a preacher man. I was born
the son of a bar owner. I grew up poor. I grew up as a child of divorce
parents. I know today this is not rare, but when I was younger, I could
not think of any of my friends that had divorced parents. None of my
cousins at the time had divorce parents. My sister and I felt different.
Even though I did not have the pedigree
or status to be a successful minister, God called me anyway. He does
things like this to show off. He wants everyone to know that He is the
One who does the work, so that no one can brag.
God called Gideon, who was the last
choice as far as man looks on things. God said only one thing that
Gideon needed to hear: "I will be with you" (v 16). That is all
you need to hear. God is with you! If He is with you, you can succeed at
fulfilling the dream God puts in your heart.
Tony
Melendez
Tony Melendez wanted to be a great
guitar player. That is not unusual for kids to inspire to be. But what is
unusual is that Tony Melendez was born without arms. This did not detour
him. He figured God gave him feet for a reason, so he learned to play
the guitar with his feet.
He became so good at it that the Pope
asked him to play for him. Tony is a skilled guitarists, yet he has only
his feet.
Have you ever said to yourself that you
wanted to play an instrument? Yes? Then what's your excuse?
The Apostle Paul felt that he could be
better used if God would remove the thorn in the flesh. But God
answered, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made
perfect in weakness" (2 Cor 12:9). Sometimes it is our weakness
that God uses for His glory.
Like
Eagles
He gives strength to
the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.
(Isa 40:29-31)
This beloved passage is claimed by so
many. They want to soar like eagles. What you might not know about
eagles is this: Mother eagles kick their baby eagles out of the nest. At
first they do it slowly. They start tearing apart the comfortable nest
their babies lay on. The baby eagles think their mother is being mean.
How could she be tearing apart my house?If she loves me, she
wouldn't be doing this!
It is her love for her babies that
compels her to kick the babies out of the nest. She knows they can fly—more
than that, soar—but they don't want to
take the risk, so she makes them get out of the nest. Soon the babies
realize they can fly.
God will often make us so uncomfortable
with our weaknesses. He will begin to push us to our abilities. He does
this because He knows you can do much more than you think.
What is God calling you to do? Start a
ministry? Begin a business? Get married? Have children? Support your
church? How about simply living holy before Him?
I can tell you, God knows you can do it
if He calls you. Now quit making excuses.
It's
human nature to make excuses. Consider Moses. He was uniquely qualified
to lead Israel out of Egyptian slavery. After all, he grew up as the
adopted son of Pharaoh. He understood the politics and government of
Egypt. He knew the temperament of Pharaoh. Who else better to lead
Israel to freedom than Moses?
Have you heard of Mordecai "Three
Fingers" Brown? He helped win two World Series. He was inducted into the
Baseball Hall of Fame in 1949. He was called "Three Fingers" because on
his throwing hand he does not have an index finger, hence, three
fingers. Yet his lack of an index finger proved to be a blessing. He was
able to pitch spinners that batters were not used to seeing. His
handicap was actually a blessing.
