Immense Grace For An Imperfect People

“But Moses said to God, ‘Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?’”

Exodus 3:11 (NIV)

As great as Moses became in the legacy of God-followers he certainly had moments of weakness and complacency. His hesitancy in accepting God’s call to participate in freeing Israel out of Egyptian bondage exemplifies this fact. At the onset of his holy commission, Moses signified a stubborn heart. He tried to argue his way out of the divine assignment. He questioned God repeatedly. He even delayed circumcising his sons, which would have cost him his life had his wife not intervened for him and performed the task herself.

Clearly, Moses let personal doubt and insecurities momentarily overshadow trust in the supreme God. He was hand-selected by God and seemed to balk at every aspect of it. He did not celebrate the fact that he was an instrument of God’s choosing. Instead, he criticized his inclusion in God’s masterful plan to redeem Israel from national slavery. The wonder of this account is that Moses was still asked to be God’s messenger despite his spirit of ingratitude. Such is the mysterious work of God, that His will can be enacted through a flawed people.

Moses’ response to God’s prodding in Exodus 3:11 captures his indecision and distrust. “Who am I” was not an expression of appreciation; it was a confirmation of reluctance. It was a plea to be released from the forthcoming task. When we are in the presence of God, hearing the Master speak, a reverential awe should come forth, an awe that seeks to listen rather than rebel. Accept rather than reject. Embrace rather than attempt an escape. To try to forego God’s will is to push the Lord away. Instead of digging in our heels in rebellion, we should fall to our knees in praise, pledge our allegiance to the Lord, and surrender our lives to His authority and leadership.

Throughout the entirety of Moses’ complaint-laced discourse in Exodus 3 and 4 God held a steadfast composure. The Lord was patient and not easily angered. Mankind has so many flaws, but God loves us anyway. He desired to use us for His purpose, even though He could accomplish His great work without us. The follow-on years after this biblical exchange were filled with courageous examples signifying Moses’ later acceptance of God’s design. The timid shepherd eventually became a pillar of strength for the Hebrew community. In time, he recognized his role in God’s plan and sought to honor the Lord in all that he said and did. Despite the less-than-stellar ministry beginning, Moses left a spiritual heritage worth remembering and modeling. We cannot gaze upon the life-story of Moses without recalling the wonderful mercy of God. It underscores an amazing truth: the Lord has immense grace for an imperfect people.