Washed up for ministry?

God’s call came late in life for Abraham.  But it came nonetheless.  Another person it came “late” for was Moses.  In a sense…  You see, he knew from fairly early on that he was something special.  He grew up a superstar in the house of Pharoah.  He was a superstar to the Hebrews who knew that he would be a deliverer.  He knew he was a superstar.  So much so, that when he was 40, he decided that he would take matters into his own hands, and bust up a fight between a fellow Hebrew and an Egyptian.  He took the side of the Hebrew, and killed the Egyptian!  

Hey, I am the chosen deliverer!  Let the revolt begin!

Still, he was ashamed enough of his actions that he tried to cover it up.  He buried the Egyptian.  

The next day, our superstar goes out, and decides to step into a dispute between Hebrews.  Now in that culture, that meant he was exercising the role of a judge...just what the deliverer is supposed to do.  But he is summarily rejected… by his own people.  And pharaoh decides that Moses must go too!  Where is the revolt?  What have I done?  Why didn’t the people follow me?  I thought this was my role!

So, at age 40, he’s already washed up.  He goes to live in the wilderness as a has been, could-a -been nobody.  He’s in exile watching a bunch of dirty smelly sheep, the son in law of a wilderness priest.

Then came the burning bush.

Moses was the chosen one...chosen from eternity past.  He did jump the gun.  The time was not ready, and neither was he.  But the call came.  It came when he was 80 years old!

He thought he was so disqualified that even when God confronted him he did everything he could to get out of it.  "In whose name do I go?"  "I am not gifted for this…look at how I talk!"  "Send someone else!"  God would have none of it.  His calling IS his enablement.

You might think you're hot stuff.  That does not mean your ready.  You might think that you  are washed up… But that might not be God’s view.  You might think you’ve been shelved, or that you have done too much wrong to be used of God.  Wrong.  

Your calling may not be to be a preacher or leading a large group of wandering Israelites.  Your call may come in an entirely different way. Whatever it is, if you are a Christian, you ARE called to ministry.  Your history is irrelevant.  Your history does not disqualify you.  Your timetable is not God’s.  Your age and training, or lack of it is no barrier. Embrace the fact you ARE called to ministry, and get serving!