SCRIPTURE
Exodus 4:1-17 (NRSV)
Moses' power from God
Then Moses answered, "But suppose they do not believe me or listen to me, but say, 'The Lord did not appear to you.'" The Lord said to him, "What is that in your hand?" He said, "A staff." And he said, "Throw it on the ground." So he threw the staff on the ground, and it became a snake; and Moses drew back from it. Then the Lord said to Moses, "Reach out your hand, and seize it by the tail" - so he reached out his hand and grasped it, and it became a staff in his hand - "so that they may believe that the Lord, the God of their ancestors, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has appeared to you."
Again, the Lord said to him, "Put your hand inside your cloak." He put his hand into his cloak; and when he took it out, his hand was leprous, as white as snow. Then God said, "Put your hand back into your cloak" - so he put his hand back into his cloak, and when he took it out, it was restored like the rest of his body - "If they will not believe you or heed the first sign, they may believe the second sign. If they will not believe even these two signs or heed you, you shall take some water from the Nile and pour it on the dry ground; and the water that you shall take from the Nile will become blood on the dry ground."
But Moses said to the Lord, "O my Lord, I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor even now that you have spoken to your servant; but I am slow of speech and slow of tongue." Then the Lord said to him, "Who gives speech to mortals? Who makes them mute or deaf, seeing or blind? Is it not I, the Lord? Now go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you are to speak." But he said, "O my Lord, please send someone else." Then the anger of the Lord was kindled against Moses and he said, "What of your brother Aaron, the Levite? I know that he can speak fluently; even now he is coming out to meet you, and when he sees you his heart will be glad. 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 what you shall do. He indeed shall speak for you to the people; he shall serve as a mouth for you, and you shall serve as God for him. Take in your hand this staff, with which you shall perform the signs."
DEVOTION
I wish I could say that I cannot relate to Moses’ fear and reluctance of serving God! But, if I formed my mouth to tell that lie, it would be awful!
There have been times that I have felt called to serve God in a specific way, but have been afraid of implementation. Like Moses, I have worried about whether people will listen to me and believe the good news message that I have been sent to share.
Like many Christians, I have made excuses about why I am not a fit candidate for a given job. I will confess that there have been times that I have said, “Why me? I’m a woman. I’m too short. I’m too poor. I’m too powerless. I’m too busy. I have too many other obligations, etc.”
Every time I have ever given God an excuse, God has given me a solution. God is not crazy and God does not make mistakes. God knows everything; God knows the end of a story before it begins. God knows exactly who is the best, most equipped, most capable person to handle a job.
Often, God surprises us with who is called to a specific ministry task. After all, there was no-thing spectacular about Moses. When called to lead his people out of Egypt he said that he was uncertain about whether people would hear and believe him because he was “slow of speech and slow of tongue.”
In response, God said to Moses, what God is saying to us today. “Now go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you are to speak…and will teach you what you shall do.”
We have no more excuses my friends! Jesus has given us a great commission to go to all of the people of the earth, sharing the good news message that God loves, gave, and saves. We are to boldly proclaim the message that “Christ has died, Christ has risen, and Christ shall come again!”
It’s time-out for our excuses! We have family, friends, neighbors, and colleagues who desperately need to know that God loves them, forgives them, and has made provision for their eternal life.
Our excuses simply aren’t good enough! For those of us who have heard and believed the good news message, we are compelled and commanded to share it everywhere that we go!
So, today, we are invited to overcome our fear and anxiety and trust that God will be with our mouths, teaching us everything that we are to speak and do!
Hallelujah!
Isn’t it wonderful that our ministry to others has nothing to do with us? Rather, it has everything to do with JESUS working in us to accomplish God’s great good!
Dear friends, you can trust the plan of God. If God calls you to a task, God will equip you for the same. If God requires a work of you, God will make provision for your good success.
I am excited to hear your testimonies about what happens when you put away your excuses and decide to trust and obey God!
Let’s pray:
Holy God, I have heard your voice calling to me in the night. I know that you want to use my mouth to share good news with the people around me. I am sorry that I have been so anxious, afraid, and disobedient. Today, I put all of my trust in you. I know that you will teach me what to say and do in order to introduce my loved ones to Jesus. Thank you in advance for working in me to accomplish great good! I pray this in Jesus’ Name, Amen.
THE INVITATION
If you have questions about how to become a friend and follower of Jesus, please see the devotion entitled, “Come to Jesus” @
http://aintathatgoodnews.blogspot.com/2009/03/come-to-jesus.html
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