Your Arms Are Too Short To Box With God

A few years after I became a Christian, I experienced what I thought was God's call on my life to
enter into vocational ministry. I was telling an older saint about this. I said I just didn't think that I
should go into vocational ministry and I gave a number of what I thought were good reasons
why I shouldn't. My friend just smiled and said, "You know what, your arms are too short the box
with God." She said that denying God's call on my life was like being in a boxing match with Him
and He was going to win because His arms were longer than mine.

In Exodus chapters 3 and 4 we read that Moses is shepherding sheep for his father-in-law when
he has a divine encounter with God. The Lord tells Moses that he was going down to Egypt to
deliver his people out of slavery and bring them into the land that he had promised. Abraham,
Isaac, and Jacob. After telling Moses this God then invites Moses to go with him and be his
spokesperson before the Egyptians and Israel. Instead of jumping up the chance to do this work
with God, Moses comes up with a bunch of reasons as to why he is not qualified to do this
particular work. After showing much patience, God finally gets angry and tells Moses that he
has and will continue to enable him to overcome all of his concerns. In the final analysis, Moses
did not have a legitimate reason to not obey God. Moses was very qualified to do the work that
God was calling him to. He spent the first 40 years of his life in Pharaoh's Palace where he
learned leadership skills, then he spent 40 years in the desert as a shepherd which was a very
humble profession. The Lord made sure that Moses was raised in a life that uniquely qualified
him to do the work to which he was called. Moses had no good excuse as far as God was
concerned. We know the rest of the story. Moses obeyed God and goes on to be the greatest
leader/profit in the Old Testament.

The same holds true for us, God created us for good works. Everything we have ever
experienced is designed to qualify us to serve God in a unique way. When we received eternal
life, we also receive at least one spiritual gift that works With our unique life experiences to
effectively serve and glorify God in this life. Stop making excuses. The fact is, the most
miserable person in this life is the one who knows that he has been called by God to serve him
and yet refuses to. Instead of trying to run from God, think about the privilege that you have to
work with God in this world to glorify His name and see folks come into his kingdom. Your arms
are too short to box with God. Stop running from him and run to him instead. You won't regret it.