You know, I’m kinda glad that so many “Biblical heroes” have clay feet . . . that the Spirit, when authoring the Holy Scriptures, didn’t shy away from recording not only the good, but the bad, and the ugly, as well. Unfortunately, sometimes we can read of our heroes’ failings and get a bit critical, “How could they?” we say. But far from being critical, their failings should be what connects us to them . . . and to their God.

Let’s face it, Moses’ calling was a tough one. You can imagine the scene as he’s there before the burning bush . . . “I am the Lord God of Your father — the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob” . . . and Moses hid his face (Ex. 3:6). “I have heard the cry of My people” (3:7) . . . and Moses is thinking, “That’s good!” “I have come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians” (3:8) . . . and Moses is grinning (at least inside), “Awright! Yes! Bring it on!” Then God says, “Come now, therefore, and I will send you to Pharaoh that you may bring my people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt”(3:10) . . . SCREECH!!!! “Huh,” thinks Moses, “Wait a minute! Me? What?” Can you blame him?

And this Moses who had hid is face and was afraid to look on God enters into a running debate with the Divine, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh? (3:11) . . . Suppose they will not believe me or listen to my voice; suppose they say, ‘The Lord has not appeared to you?’ (4:1) . . . 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 (4:10) . . . O my Lord, please send someone else to do it (4:13) . . . I am of uncircumcised lips (NKJV) . . . I speak with faltering lips (NIV) . . . I am unskilled in speech (NASB) . . . and besides, I stutter (MSG) (6:12).”

I don’t think this is just humility 101 . . . this is someone thinking “Houston, we have a pwobwem!” Quite simply, Moses doesn’t speak too well . . . it takes a while for it to come out . . . and when it does, it’s not always exactly right. He’s not really superhero material. No jumping into a phone booth here and changing into his super-suit complete with red cape flapping in the wind. He is an unlikely hero. He is not the guy we’d pick to be top of the class . . . not the one chosen by the class as  “most likely to be a deliverer” . . . this is Moses of clay feet . . . tongue tied Moses . . . the guy who always gets his “merds wixed up” . . . the guy who knows as well as anyone else that pobody’s nerfect!

Exactly! Just the kind of person God loves to use. How come? Oh, I love this verse . . . “But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.” (2Cor. 4:7 NIV) God’s super heroes are super not because of their capability or “natural talent” but because God is super . . . the theological term is “Omni-super” J

The deliverance wasn’t going to be because Moses was eloquent of speech . . . or impressive in stature . . . or charismatic in nature. Instead, God tells him, “I am the LORD; I will bring you out from under the burden of the Egyptians, I will rescue you from their bondage, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great judgments. I will take you as My people, and I will be your God.” (6:6-7). Moses asked the wrong question when he asked, “Who am I?”. It wasn’t going to be about who he was . . . but all about who I AM was (3:14).

Sure, Moses was called to be the front guy . . . but it wasn’t about Moses. God would bring them out. He would rescue and redeem them. He would take them as His people. He had determined to be their God. It would be Him who would lead them to the land flowing with milk and honey. And while Moses would be at the front of the parade, God would get all the glory. Moses was a just a jar of clay . . . available (after some persuading) to be used of the Master Potter for His purposes. Moses would grow in the faith . . . the people would be blessed . . . and God would show Himself as the great I AM.

Far from criticizing or judging Moses, I should be connecting with him . . . so aware of my own inadequacies . . . my own fears . . . my own way. Connecting with him as another jar of clay that, if yielded to the Father, can be used in mighty ways to fulfill His purposes for His glory. And I have no pwobwem with that! Amen!