God Calls the Unlikely

When we think of Moses, we often picture him as a spiritual giant — the man who stood before Pharaoh, parted the Red Sea, and received the Ten Commandments on Mount Sinai. But that’s not how his story began.

By the time God called Moses in Exodus 3, he was 80 years old, living in obscurity as a shepherd in Midian. Once a prince of Egypt, now a fugitive with a painful past, Moses likely believed his chance to make a difference had passed him by.

But failure is never final with God.

God Shapes Before He Sends

Moses had spent the first 40 years of his life thinking he was a somebody, the next 40 years realizing he was a nobody, and he would spend his last 40 years discovering what God can do with a nobody.

When God appeared to him in the burning bush, it was a reminder that He often shapes our character in hidden places before using us publicly. Moses had been rejected by his people, chased out of Egypt, and broken down by disappointment. But that was exactly where God wanted him — humbled and ready to depend on divine strength instead of his own.

Moses’ Objections — and God’s Answers

When God said, “Now go, I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people out of Egypt,” Moses had excuses ready:

1. “Who am I?” Moses felt unworthy. God’s reply: “I will be with you.”

2. “Who are You?” Moses wondered how to describe God. God answered: “I AM who I AM… tell them I AM has sent you.”

3. “What if they don’t believe me?” God gave Moses three miraculous signs to authenticate his calling — a staff that became a snake, a hand that turned leprous and healed, and water that turned to blood.

4. “I’m not a good speaker.” God promised: “I will help you speak and teach you what to say.”

And when Moses finally pleaded, “Please send someone else,” God reminded him that He had already chosen Moses.

Lessons for Us Today

Moses’ calling shows us that God doesn’t wait for perfect people. He calls the broken, the insecure, the rejected, and the ones who think they’re disqualified — and He gives them everything they need to walk in obedience.

Here are a few takeaways for our own walk of faith:

• God uses us in spite of our weaknesses. Our flaws don’t disqualify us; they are often the very places where His power shines brightest.

• God-confidence matters more than self-confidence. The question isn’t “Who am I?” but “Who is with me?”

• God can use what’s in your hand. Just as He used Moses’ staff, He can use your gifts, resources, and life experiences for His glory.

• Rejection doesn’t define you. Past failures and wounds may shape you, but they don’t have to limit God’s future for you.

God Still Calls Today

Just as God called Moses from the burning bush, He still calls us today. His Spirit whispers into our doubts, fears, and excuses: “I will be with you.”

Maybe you feel too weak, too ordinary, or too flawed for God to use. But Moses’ story reminds us: when we place our lives in God’s hands, He can do immeasurably more than we imagine.

The question is not whether we are able — but whether we are willing.