God, You Chose the Wrong Person!

One of the things that I love to do is to study the lives of Bible characters that God chose to use. The deeper I dig into their lives and stories, the more excited I get, because I realise just how ordinary many of them were. It appears that God specialises in using the most unlikely candidates to bring about His purposes on this earth. He uses people just like you and I, with all our eccentricities and foibles.

I was studying the life of Moses today and seven words he spoke to God captivated my attention. He said, “Who am I that I should go?” (Exodus. 3:11). God had just revealed His wonderful plan of deliverance to Moses, but Moses’ response was anything but enthusiastic, or even committed.

As far as Moses was concerned, God had chosen the wrong man for the job. He even had the audacity to say “O Lord, please send someone else to do it” (Exodus 4:13). In Moses’ defence, he was not the only reluctant servant of God in Scripture. Gideon, Saul, Jeremiah and Esther followed a similar pattern.

I can just imagine Gideon saying to God, “who am I that I should rally the troops and stand up against the Midianites?” Or Saul saying to God, “who am I, that I should rule your people Israel?”, as he crouches, timidly behind the baggage. Or what about the famous, weeping prophet Jeremiah, who explained to God that he didn’t know how to speak, and, therefore, how he could possibly be God’s mouthpiece. Finally there is the example of Esther, who said “Who am I, that I should intercede on behalf of my people?” knowing full well that it could cost her very life.

All of the above were God’s chosen instruments, through whom He wanted to reveal His glory, but He could only do so if they co-operated. The same applies for us. I wonder what God is calling you to, and what excuses you’re using to wriggle out from under His commission.

God isn’t impressed when He reveals His purposes and plans to us and we respond with “who am I?” In fact, by doing so, we’re actually accusing God of not knowing what He’s doing. Be assured that your shortcomings and weaknesses are no surprise to God. When He called you, He was well aware of who He was calling, and what extra grace you’d need to accomplish the call. I think God even gets a kick out of calling those whom the world wouldn’t give a second glance at, and especially excels at accomplishing great exploits through weak and ordinary people.

You don’t have to be perfect to be used by God – just available and submitted. Henry Varley, one of Dwight L.Moody’s friends, said, “The world has yet to see what God can do with and for and through and in a man who is fully and wholly consecrated to Him”. Next time you doubt God’s choice of yourself, or when the enemy whispers in your ear, “Who are you to …” remind yourself of these words:

Prayer: Father God, I belong to You, and was bought back from the enemy at a great price – with the precious blood of Jesus. I confess that I don’t belong to myself. I am Yours! Have Your way in my life. Use me in any way You choose. I surrender my life afresh to You this day. Amen.