You’re Not Too Old: Moses and the Call at 80

This is the second part of a series on Moses and living our calling

This article will make more sense, if you read part one first.

Moses has tended sheep for half of his eighty years. You’d have to think, life in Pharaoh’s palace was a distant memory, but I’m not so sure. At eighty years old, you’d have to think he believed the ship of him being anything more than a shepherd had sailed. That’s when he found himself at the burning bush. And that moment changed everything. 

Aging Out

This is a good place to start. Moses started the most important work of his life at the age of 80. Most people think they’ve aged out of doing great things years before that. I urge you, don’t think that way. God’s timing is always perfect. Maybe all these years have been preparation for the best, most vital years of your life. I often ask people the question, “Do you know how you know you’re done serving God? They close the casket lid.” If you’re still here, you’re not done and there is no aging out in the Kingdom of God. Keep living toward your calling and keep serving God. 

Living In Real Time

You and I have an unfair advantage over Moses. His entire story is available for us to read. We can know his story from beginning to end in a matter of hours. We can know all the great stuff he did in the last 40 years of his life, but remember, he was a human being like us. He may have had a sense of his calling, but he was living life out in real time. All along the way he was living, one day at a time, just like we do. We can see where his choices led and we can see how God worked in and through him. I don’t know that our path will be anything like his, but I do know this. You and I serve the same God, so at least some of these lessons will apply.

Moses At the Burning Bush

Exodus 3:2-4 describes the scene this way: “And the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush. He looked, and behold, the bush was burning, yet it was not consumed. And Moses said, “I will turn aside to see this great sight, why the bush is not burned.” When the Lord saw that he turned aside to see, God called to him out of the bush, “Moses, Moses!” And he said, “Here I am.”  Moses is finds himself in the presence of the angel of the Lord. Many people think that reflects the pre-incarnate Christ, but regardless, this calling is straight from the throne of God. 

Holy Ground

Before Moses can enter into the presence of the Lord, he is commanded to remove his shoes and stand barefooted before the Lord. This is no small encounter. This is a holy moment on holy ground. It’s almost as if God wants no barrier between Moses and God’s holiness. This moment will change his life forever. This is a turning point. This next period of life is what Moses will be known for. More than that, this will be the most effective period of his life in the Kingdom of God. After 80 years of preparation, Moses is about to walk into what he was created to do. 

Plan and a Purpose

Moses is not alone. You and I are also part of God’s plan and there is something we were made to be and do. It might be big or it might be small, but that’s not our call. Our call is to faithfulness. Our call is to do what God has called us to do, and if we live a life of faithfulness to God, we will get where He wants us to get and that will be enough. Personal example: I would love to write a best-selling, world changing book that will do great things in the Kingdom of God. Will I get there? I have no idea. What I do know is I have this column. I have no idea how many people will read it, but you are reading, right now, and I pray God uses it to spur you on to something great. That’s faithfulness. 

Excuses

Few things will keep you from faithfulness quicker than excuses and when it comes to excuses, Moses had a pile. How many do you have?  

God went to Moses and told him He has heard the cry of his people and has come to rescue them. This whole thing was promised to Abraham all the way back in Genesis 15:13-17. It was finally happening after 430 years. I can imagine Moses was excited until God dropped these words, “Come, I will send you to Pharaoh that you may bring my people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt.” (Exodus 3:10 ESV) All of the sudden the good news seemed to become bad news. It’s like when we look at a situation and say, “Someone should do something about that.” It seems like a great thing until someone points to you and says, “You’re the someone.” 

That’s where Moses seems to be in this moment and the excuses fly.  

Excuse 1

“Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?” (Exodus 3:11 ESV) It’s as if Moses was saying, “I mean I know I was a prince in Egypt at one point, but I left there with a price on my head, and I don’t want to go back. Besides that was a long time ago. I’m a shepherd now.” What was God’s response to this excuse? The same one He makes to ours, “But I will be with you,,,”

Excuse 2

Exodus 3:13 Then Moses said to God, “If I come to the people of Israel and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ what shall I say to them?” In other words, “What if they don’t believe you sent me? Give me a way to prove it to them. And so God told Moses His name. “I Am.” 

God also sent Moses to the elders of the people, with a message from the Lord. “‘The Lord, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob, has appeared to me, saying, “I have observed you and what has been done to you in Egypt, and I promise that I will bring you up out of the affliction of Egypt to the land of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, a land flowing with milk and honey.”’ (Exodus 3:16-17 ESV)   

Excuse 3

Exodus 4:1 (ESV) Then Moses answered, “But behold, they will not believe me or listen to my voice, for they will say, ‘The Lord did not appear to you.’” This takes the last excuse a step further. Where the last excuse dealt with the people not believing God spoke to Moses, now He deals with the doubts the people might have about believing Moses at all. In response to this God gave Moses three supernatural signs to do to prove his call: His staff changing into a snake, his hand instantly getting leprosy and then getting instantly cured, and urning water to blood. Surely this will confound the naysayers. unfortunately one of those naysayer was still Moses. 

Excuse 4

Exodus 4:10 (ESV) But Moses said to the Lord, “Oh, my Lord, I am not eloquent, either in the past or since you have spoken to your servant, but I am slow of speech and of tongue.” This time Moses essentially told God, “I’m a lousy public speaker.” Some even take this to mean Moses had some sort of speech impediment. God’s response was basically, “Do you honestly think I don’t know your limitations?” I think this might be the most used excuse for most people. I know it’s been a favorite of mine. We think we lack something we need to do what God calls us to do. The truth is God knows your every limitation, but He is with us and He is unlimited. 

Excuse Me

Finally, Moses tried to beg out of his call. Exodus 4:13 “But he said, “Oh, my Lord, please send someone else.” Needless to say this angered God. In essence Moses was saying to God, “You have the wrong guy.” No, the creator of the Universe knows you completely. It all goes back to the saying, “God doesn’t call the qualified, He qualifies the called.” His plan and purpose is for you. It is a good plan with a great future reward. To live out His call, Moses would have to trust God completely and so must we.  

The Aaron Factor 

There is something else to God’s answer to this excuse. God essentially gives Moses a helper. “Is there not Aaron, your brother, the Levite? I know that he can speak well. Behold, he is coming out to meet you, and when he sees you, he will be glad in his heart. You shall speak to him and put the words in his mouth, and I will be with your mouth and with his mouth and will teach you both what to do.” (Exodus 4:14-15 ESV) When we have a call from God, it is very rarely a solo call. Oh there is often a part that only we can do, but He also tends to surround us with people who are gifted where we are weak and vice versa. We are totally dependent on God and interdependent on each other. 

You Are Called

God’s plan and purpose was designed for you when He designed you. Your gifts and your talents are part of it, as are some of the people He puts into your life. I believe we find life’s meaning in living God’s purpose, so live on purpose. Just as God had an answer for every one of Moses’ excuses. He has one for yours as well. You’re not too old, and you’re not too young to start. You’re not disqualified by your past if you’ve repented and asked for forgiveness. And it’s not too late, so start today. Look for the ways your life might be preparing you for your call right now, and seek the Lord in all things. Through it all, remember God’s greatest answer to every excuse. He will be with you. Never to leave nor forsake you.  He is faithful, you be faithful too.