from Rev. Kermit Culver, Sakakawea District superintendent

Greetings in the name of our risen Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ.  My name is Kermit, and I'm the Chief Missional Strategist for the Sakakwea District, of the Dakotas Annual Conference.  I hope, pray and trust your Lenten experience is going well, and God is breaking through in new ways in your life, and your church.  I'm excited to share with you a couple thoughts from our Lenten Study book - Dare to Dream - Creating a God-Sized Mission Statement for your life and Ministry.

I'm not sure why the rest of the Cabinet assigned me the chapter called "Big Butts" but I've chosen not to take any personal offense!  Honestly, I chose the Big Buts chapter because as an Offensive lineman for 8 years and a Defensive Line Coach for 8 years, I know a thing or 2 about big butts!  Truth be told, the real reason I choose this chapter - is I know more than a thing or 2 about making excuses, especially ones concerning God's Call on our lives.

God has a dream for every one of us.  Fulfilling that dream often begins by writing it down, distilling it down, paring it down, to a succinct statement or definition that guides the way we live our lives.  A few years ago I went through a process of discerning my personal mission statement.  Here it is:  "Empowering people to authentically love God."  With all the other tasks and duties associated with being a Pastor/DS; what gets my life juices flowing, is helping people connect to their own God-given "Burning Bush".

God calls all of us.  I'm not just talking about a "Call to Full or Part time "Ministry" - I'm talking about how God calls us as part of the created order.  Every one of us has some calling on our life, to improve the lives of others, to love and serve others, to make a difference in the world, and to make the world different.  Your calling may not be to preach, it may be to become the lead cheerleader on your Pastor's Encouragement Team.  Your calling may be to model faithfulness in your life and marriage, for generations coming after you.  Your job may be to lead by example in the ways of generosity.  I don't know what your particular calling may be - but I do know that God has called all of us to do something for God, and for the rest of Humanity.

Unfortunately many of us dismiss the call of God on our lives because of some ill-timed and inappropriate excuses (our big 'buts') we wrongly think will persuade God to just go on to the next person.  Not true.  The story of God's call on Moses begins with a 2 chapter debate between God and Moses about why Moses thinks he's unfit to fulfill God's calling.  Lets look at Moses’ "big buts".   Moses’ five excuses in Exodus 3-4.  With each of these excuses, God answers Moses.  God doesn't always answer me so "verbally or audibly" but God answered Moses, and we'll consider those as well.

1.  I'm not qualified.

            “But Moses protested to God, “Who am I to appear before Pharaoh?  Who am I to lead the people of Israel out of Egypt?”

God Said: "I will be with you."

            God answered, “I will be with you.  And this is your sign that I am the one who has sent you:  When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you will worship God at this very mountain.”                     Exodus 3:11-12

            This may be one of your excuses - in fact it should be!  If we somehow think that serving God by answering God's calling is something we can easily or simply do - well, then I think our understanding of God and God's ministry may be to small. 

            And God's answer to Moses is spot on - "I will be with you."  In other words I think God is telling Moses - "Hey Moses, this really isn't about you - I just need a mouthpiece, a figure head, a tool I can use to get my people out of Egypt".  Friends, our calling is not ultimately about us either, its about the God who calls, and promises to be with us.

2.  I'm spiritually unfit

            “But Moses protested, “If I go to the people of Israel and tell them, ‘The God of your ancestors has sent me to you,’ they will ask me, ‘What is his name?’ Then what should I tell them?”    Exodus 3:13

God Said: "I am who I am."

            “God replied to Moses, “ I AM WHO I AM. Say this to the people of Israel: I AM has sent me to you.”     Exodus 3:14

            Moses claims he doesn't know enough, he's not 'spiritual' enough, he doesn't know the Bible well enough, he's not a leader, he's spiritually unfit.  Do you ever hear that when recruiting Small Group leaders?  As is so often the case, God's answer to Moses doesn't directly address Moses question.  God responds, "Just tell them that I am the God of eternity - there never was I time I didn't exist, and there will never be a time I don't exist.  You don't need to know all the right answers, Moses, you just need to know Me - the God who IS"!

3.  No one will believe me

            “But Moses protested again, ‘What if they won’t believe me or listen to me? What if they say, ‘The LORD never appeared to you?’’”        Exodus 4:1

God Said: "What is in your Hand"

            “Then the LORD asked him, ‘What is that in your hand?’ ‘A shepherd’s staff,’ Moses replied.”      Exodus 4:2   

            This objection is really one of self-doubt.  God's call gets to the heart of our being, and often reveals our lack of confidence, and lack of trust.

            If God has called us - we can rest assured God will provide all we need to get the job done.  I'm not the smartest tack in the box, and my almost constant prayer during seminary was to remind God that since, You Called me - "You better help me pass this test or you're going to be embarrassed."  God's provision is much greater than passing tests, but please know that our lack of anything, when it comes to answering God's call - is to realize that God has already provided all we need to get the job done.

4.  I can't speak well

            “But Moses pleaded with the LORD, ‘O Lord, I’m not very good with words. I never have been, and I’m not now, even though you have spoken to me. I get tongue-tied, and my words get tangled.’”        Exodus 4:10

God Said: "Who makes a person's mouth?"

            “Then the LORD asked Moses, ‘Who makes a person’s mouth? Who decides whether people speak or do not speak, hear or do not hear, see or do not see? Is it not I, the LORD? Now go! I will be with you as you speak, and I will instruct you in what to say.’”    Exodus 4:11-12

            I think the excuse Moses levels here is a very personal, private one; Moses may have been a stutterer.  He has some form of speech impediment.  Friends don't overlook the almost absurd irony of God's call; which is often to something we have been convinced, (by ourselves or others) we are incapable of doing.  Why is that?  Because God wants to demonstrate God's strength THROUGH our weakness.  I'm surprise how many of my colleagues are introverts.  Wouldn't you think that God would be smarter and call to this vocation of ministry with and in front of PEOPLE - some people who liked being with people?  No - because God wants to reveal strength, though weak, yielded, dependent people; just like you and me.

5. Please Send Someone Else

            “But Moses again pleaded, “Lord, please! Send anyone else.”     Exodus 4:13

God Said: "Ok, we'll use your brother"

            “Then the LORD became angry with Moses. “All right,” he said. “What about your brother, Aaron the Levite? I know he speaks well."       Exodus 4:14

            In one last desperate plea, Moses asks to get out of this calling - and notice - God agrees, but not altogether.  God says we'll use your brother Aaron to be your mouthpiece, but I'm still going to use you to receive my Message, and demonstrate my power.  I'll speak to you, you to Aaron, and Aaron will speak to the people.  Here is the point - God is not going to let you out of your calling.  NO matter how good or many excuses we think we have - God will always find a way to fulfill God's plan and purpose.

            We might think we can run or get away - but our excuses fall on deaf ears to God.  I heard it said once that: Excuses are like Arm Pits - "Everybody's got a couple, and most of them stink".  I think its true.  And so does God.

            Don't sell yourself short.  God has called you, and God will provide everything you need to get the job done.  We all have to answer, no excuses, no big buts!

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Week 4 - Lose Your Big Buts – Allow God’s strength to be displayed in your weakness. from Dakotas UMC on Vimeo.