Exodus 3 "Wash On...Wash Off"

Remember that movie, The Karate Kid, where the young teen wants to learn karate and the guy who promises to teach him has him washing the car and doing all kinds of manual labor?  The teacher is specific about how to wash the car, "Wash on...Wash off."  The kid gets fed up with all the work and confronts the teacher, only to find out that he now reflixively knows real karate moves based on the way he washed that car!  Well, Moses is about to have his own "Wash on...Wash off" moment.

Born a Hebrew, raised an Egyptian, educated, trained, now a shepherd with wilderness skills...God chose Moses to lead His people out of Egypt.  God had spent Moses life training him for the task.  And here Moses is having a conversation with a burning bush telling him what his life's purpose is.  And just like you and me, what is the first thing Moses does?  He starts arguing with God that he isn't the man for the job.  He raises a lot of objections.  He was "What if-ing" God to death!  What if I can't do it?  What if I talk to the people and they don't believe me?  What if they won't listen to me?  What if...what if...what if.

Moses felt inadequate.  He was overwhelmed.  He argued with God (the burning bush---LOL--would YOU argue with a burning bush that wasn't turning to ashes?) 

I feel inadequate, unworthy, overwhelmed, and frustrated a lot.  Often.  Who am I to write a blog about the Bible?  Yet, God didn't tell Moses he was going to be working alone.  He promised He would be there.  By himself, Moses WAS inadequate.  So am I.  So are you.  But Moses wasn't alone and neither are we.  God offered other resources to Moses.  He offers other resources to us.  We've been in training with our own "Wash on...Wash off" moments.  We shouldn't hide behind our inadequacies, as Moses tried to do, but look beyond ourselves to the great resources available to us.  Then we can allow God to use our unique contributions.  I recognize many of my own unique contributions.  I recall the excuses at the time, but I also know that I did contribute in the end and God used me and blessed me for it.  Thank you, Lord.  I hope we can work together like that again!  Looking back, it was pretty cool.