When Moses was young (age 40), he was a man of both deep faith in and dedication to the Lord as well as a man of immense ability and privilege (Acts 7:22-23; Hebrews 11:24-26). In the brashness of youth he acted boldly but without divine orders to attempt to deliver his people Israel from slavery in Egypt (Exodus 2:11-12; Acts 7:23-25). Rather than triumphantly leading Israel to freedom, he was ignominiously forced to flee for his life to the land of Midian (Exodus 2:13-15; Acts 7:26-29).

Forty years of tending the sheep of his father-in-law in the wilderness taught Moses badly needed lessons of patience and humility (Numbers12:3) but so eroded his self-confidence he became unwilling to accept the commission from the Lord to deliver Israel that he had taken without authority forty years earlier (Exodus 4:13). Yet Moses did become one of the great examples of faith recorded in the "Hall of Faith" as a pattern for us to emulate (Hebrews 11:27). How was this?

When Moses was eighty (Exodus 7:7) he was watching the sheep of Jethro when he saw a great sight and turned aside for a closer look. A bush was on fire, but the fire did not consume it. As Moses approached the voice of the Lord spoke from the bush and commanded Moses not to come near but to remove his sandals, for, explained God, "the place where you stand is holy ground" (Exodus 3:1-5).

The Lord identified Himself as the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. He was aware of the suffering of Israel in slavery in Egypt and was going to deliver them. He then gave Moses the commission that the man of God had brashly taken upon himself without authority forty years earlier. "Come now, therefore, and I will send you to Pharaoh that you may bring My people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt" (Exodus 3:6-10).

God now wants to deliver the world from bondage to sin (1 Timothy 2:3-4). Christ is His chosen Servant to lead all people to freedom from sin (Isaiah 61:1; John 8:34-36), and Christians are His chosen helpers to accomplish this wonderful feat (Philippians 2:14-16).

Now the Lord had properly prepared Moses for his great role. Now he had divine authority to do what he had taken upon himself as a young man. But now Moses was unwilling to act! He made excuses not to be the deliverer the Lord God had prepared and commissioned him to be.

"But Moses said to God, 'Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh, and that I should bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?'" (Exodus 3:11). Forty years earlier this had never occurred to Moses. He was supremely self-confident. He needed to replace self-confidence with deeper faith, trust, and dependence upon God. The Lord assured him, "I will certainly be with you" and promised him He would bring Israel to Mount Sinai as a sign the Lord was with him (Exodus 3:12).

When we do the work of the Lord, He is with us in all our endeavors (Philippians 2:12-13). With God working through us, using us as His instruments, He through us His people "is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think" (Ephesians 3:20-21).

But Moses just made a second excuse. Who should he say had sent him to Israel? (Exodus 3:13). God informed Moses "I AM WHO I AM," the one and only eternally self-existent God (Exodus 3:14; cf. John 8:58), the covenant Lord God ("Yahweh Elohim") of their fathers (Exodus 3:15). He commanded Moses to go to Israel to deliver them and to lead them to the land He had promised and assured him of success (Exodus 3:16-22).

When we take the good news of freedom from the bondage of sin through Christ (Romans 6:3-6,17-18), we are doing the work of the Lord by His authority (Colossians3:17). He is with us (Philippians 2:12-13) and promises us success (Ephesians 3:20-21).

Moses was still unconvinced he should go and made a third excuse. "Then Moses answered and said, 'But suppose they will not believe me or listen to my voice; suppose they say, "The LORD has not appeared to you"'" (Exodus 4:1). The Lord met this excuse by giving him the power to work three miraculous signs by which he would convince the people that God really had sent him. He would throw his staff on the ground, and it would become a snake. Then he would pick up the snake by the tail, and it would become his staff again. Next he would put his hand into his bosom, and it would become completely leprous. When he again put his hand inside his clothing, the flesh would be restored. Finally, he would take water from the Nile River, the life of Egypt, and pour it on the ground, where it would become blood, symbolic of death (Exodus 4:2-9).

The Lord gave signs to those He sent to the world with His message of salvation to prove they spoke the word of the Lord (Mark 16:15-18). They confirmed their word by these signs (Mark 16:19-20; Hebrews 2:1-4) and wrote the message down for all succeeding generations (Ephesians 3:1-7; 1 Peter 1:22-25). When we "speak as the oracles of God," giving "book, chapter, and verse" for all we teach, people of faith know we are speaking the word of the Lord.

Moses still wasn't ready to go. "Then Moses said to the LORD, 'O my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither before nor since You have spoken to Your servant; but I am slow of speech and slow of tongue'" (Exodus 4:10). When he lived in Egypt as royalty Moses "was mighty in words" (Acts 7:22). Maybe forty years of talking to sheep and goats had changed that. But the Lord reminded Moses He was the one who had made his mouth and could give him the ability he needed, and He promised to be with His mouth and teach him what to say (Exodus 4:11-12).

The Lord made your mouth also. Besides, He doesn't lead the lost to Christ by human eloquence (1 Corinthians 2:1-5). He doesn't need a fast, smooth talker. He needs faithful messengers. His strength is perfected in our weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9). Learn what His word teaches and let His word guide your mouth (1 Peter 3:15; 4:11).

Finally, Moses, out of excuses, revealed his unwillingness to the Lord. He stubbornly answered the Lord God, "Oh, my Lord, please send someone else" (Exodus 4:13, English Standard Version). Moses just didn't want to go. Now the Lord replied in anger, assured him that his brother Aaron, who would speak to the people for him, was gladly coming to meet Moses and promised to be with both of them in their speech (Exodus 4:14-17). Moses finally relented and went (Exodus 4:18-20), and a glorious deliverance by the power of the Lord resulted (Exodus14:21-15:21).

When the Lord opens doors of opportunity for you to serve Him (cf. 1 Corinthians16:8-9), be as Isaiah. Say and mean, "Here am I! Send me." (Isaiah 6:8) The word of the Lord has the power to accomplish a great deliverance through you as well (Isaiah 55:10-11).

Because he relented, quit making excuses, and obeyed, Moses occupies a prominent place in the Hall of Faith (Hebrews 11:27). Will God remember us for our faith? (1 Thessalonians 1:6-8) Our use of the opportunities the Lord gives us to serve Him will help determine our destiny (Matthew 25:14-30). Has the Lord opened for you a door of opportunity? Are you afraid to walk through it? You should be afraid not to walk through it.