Look Past Your Limitations - Moses

Moses protested to God, “Who am I to appear before Pharaoh? Who am I to lead the people of Israel out of Egypt?” God answered, “I will be with you.”

Exodus 3:11-12

Think of the last time that you felt you were in over your head. What made you feel ill-equipped, either mentally or spiritually?

Maybe you had a conflict with your wife that refused to work itself out. Perhaps you couldn’t understand the behavior of a rebellious child. Do you have a problem at work that you can’t get past? Did a falling-out with a friend result in serious relational damage that you don’t know how to fix?

Life has a way of overwhelming us at times. The good news for every believer in Christ is that when you feel completely inadequate, God has you right where he wants you.

Moses certainly felt ill-equipped when he heard God’s command to return to Egypt: “The cry of the people of Israel has reached me, and I have seen how harshly the Egyptians abuse them. Now go, for I am sending you to Pharaoh. You must lead my people Israel out of Egypt” (Exodus 3:9-10).

Surely Moses felt that twinge we all feel when an overwhelming problem or challenge confronts us. He responded, “Who am I to appear before Pharaoh? Who am I to lead the people of Israel out of Egypt?” (Exodus 3:11).

God never directly answered Moses’ question. Instead, God emphasized his own impressive credentials (see Exodus 3:12).

Moses focused on himself when he needed to focus on God. The Lord responded by patiently shifting his chosen deliverer’s attention to the God of unlimited power who had expressed his unchanging commitment to accomplish everything he had promised.

When you feel you are in over your head, what would happen if you took the focus off of yourself and consciously placed it on God? Certainly you have shortcomings and weaknesses—we all do. God didn’t remove Moses’ weaknesses when he called him into leadership, but he did promise Moses his presence, and he makes this same promise to you.

Do you think that God will do any less for you than he did for Moses? What does the promise of his presence mean to you? How can you turn your focus from your own shortcomings to the One through whom you can accomplish any task and solve any problem?