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the God who uses ordinary people

Hello, friends! Today, I want to focus on a theme the Lord has reminded me of this past week! He is an unpredictable God who can use the most ordinary things and people to deliver His extraordinary work.

Let’s start in Exodus 3:2, “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.” If you’ve ever read Exodus, you know this was the moment where Moses’ journey in leading the Israelites out of slavery and into freedom began. This is the moment that God revealed His plan to him.

I also want to read Exodus 4:13, “But he said, “Oh, my Lord, please send someone else.” Although Moses is known for the man who held his staff and the sea split in two, he hesitated in the beginning. After God revealed to him all of His plans to free the people trapped in bondage, Moses felt unqualified.

How often are we in Moses place? Asking God to use someone else because we simply cannot see the bigger picture and we are so focused on our own abilities. Something that many people don’t know about me, I get absolutely terrified to speak in public. Yet, I always volunteer if an opportunity arrives. Before I go up to speak, I sweat, my heartbeat increases as if I just ran a mile, and my thoughts scatter everywhere. But I still always agree to speak in front of people.

I share this story because the Lord has revealed to me that when I allow fear to take root in my heart, it stifles the growth that could take place if I choose face it. See, the fear I have for speaking in public never goes away, but I still choose to face it, and I face it with the mindset that Jesus is holding my hand the entire time.

David tells us in Psalm 139:5, “You hem me in, behind and before, and lay Your hand upon me.” There is an assurance we can rest in knowing that God is not only surrounding us, but He actively engages with us in a personal and intimate way. Isaiah 26:3 tells us, “You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You.” Facing my fears never gets easier, but as I walk into a situation knowing that my full trust is in the Lord and that His hand is on me and He is actively listening and moving in my life, my fear suddenly gets expelled and peace is able to flow.

I want to point out verse 2 of Exodus 3 again. God appeared to Moses through a bush, revealing His plan for deliverance of His children trapped in bondage. Moses questions his adequacy in taking a leader position; he claims he is just an ordinary person who lacks the skills and abilities to do what God is ordering him to do.

But I want us to be reminded that God showed up to Moses by the burning of a bush. There was nothing special about this bush; it’s a common desert shrub just like Moses was a common ordinary person. God used an ordinary shrub to deliver His extraordinary message to fulfill His glorious purposes.

This spoke so deeply to me. God used a common shrub for His glorious purpose, so why do we question if He can use us? Why do we question our abilities when we know if God is calling us to do His work, He will supply all we need to accomplish His plans?

I also want to key in on what my post was about last week, being a light to the darkness around us (Matthew 5:14-16). Jesus didn’t speak to people who were ‘perfect’ or excellent theologians. He spoke to a crowd filled with ordinary, overlooked, marginalized people. This was a crowd of nobodies, but He came and reformed them to be catalysts for sharing who He is to the world. These were people like us, ordinary and unqualified, but Jesus called them to be carriers of His ancient promises to renew the world.

Jesus’ disciples were not geniuses. They asked more questions than anyone. They didn’t understand much, and at the time Jesus was on earth, they were the most unpredictable people for Jesus to choose to make disciples. His disciples were ordinary people who lacked formal religious training, unlike the Pharisees who obeyed every Jewish law. Most people would have assumed Jesus would go to the Pharisees, who were well-versed in scripture, but He chose a group of twelve ordinary men.

The truth is that we are all ordinary people with ordinary human limitations. And God being the good Father He is knows how to work with us and pushes growth and faith testing. True faith involves trusting God even when personal capabilities seem insufficient.

Just as Moses was given a mission and experienced setbacks, God was able to prepare him by equipping him with experiences that would later define his mission. I think about this to my life. As I mentioned earlier, I get so scared to speak in front of a crowd, but I know God is instilling certain qualities in me every time I choose to face it that will prepare me for what He has for my future.

Friend, I want to send you some encouragement today and remind you that God always uses ordinary people to fulfill His promises and bear fruit. If you feel a nudge in your heart to pursue something God has called you to, but you worry about not being enough, trust that He wouldn’t place that calling on your heart without also planning to equip you for it. Remember to trust in His provision and guidance to move forward.

As special and significant as the moment was for Moses and the burning bush, I don’t want God to have to use a plant to communicate His intentions and plans. In times when hesitation drives us or we feel convinced that we are incapable of completing the the Lord’s work, I don’t want God to resort in using a shrub when I was perfectly capable of carrying out His will.

I want us to move in boldness and confidence that if God has plans for us to complete a part of His good purposes, He also plans to equip us. He is the God of no mistakes; He is flawless in every way. If He comes to us with a mission or vision, it is not a mistake. He chose you for a reason, and He believes you are the most suitable person for the job. He doesn’t only want His plans to be completed, He also wants to growth you and give you the gifts that come from obedience.

Thank you for reading friend!