Heart of Moses’ Problem
Opening Prayer
Almighty God, You are a God of infinite power and might. I bow before You in awe and wonder.
Read Exodus 4:1-17
[1] Moses answered, “What if they do not believe me or listen to me and say, ‘The LORD did not appear to you’?” [2] Then the LORD said to him, “What is that in your hand?” “A staff,” he replied. [3] The LORD said, “Throw it on the ground.” Moses threw it on the ground and it became a snake, and he ran from it. [4] Then the LORD said to him, “Reach out your hand and take it by the tail.” So Moses reached out and took hold of the snake and it turned back into a staff in his hand. [5] “This,” said the LORD, “is so that they may believe that the LORD, the God of their fathers-the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob-has appeared to you.” [6] Then the LORD said, “Put your hand inside your cloak.” So Moses put his hand into his cloak, and when he took it out, the skin was leprous-it had become as white as snow. [7] “Now put it back into your cloak,” he said. So Moses put his hand back into his cloak, and when he took it out, it was restored, like the rest of his flesh. [8] Then the LORD said, “If they do not believe you or pay attention to the first sign, they may believe the second. [9] But if they do not believe these two signs or listen to you, take some water from the Nile and pour it on the dry ground. The water you take from the river will become blood on the ground.” [10] Moses said to the LORD, “Pardon your servant, Lord. I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since you have spoken to your servant. I am slow of speech and tongue.” [11] The LORD said to him, “Who gave human beings their mouths? Who makes them deaf or mute? Who gives them sight or makes them blind? Is it not I, the LORD? [12] Now go; I will help you speak and will teach you what to say.” [13] But Moses said, “Pardon your servant, Lord. Please send someone else.” [14] Then the LORD’s anger burned against Moses and he said, “What about your brother, Aaron the Levite? I know he can speak well. He is already on his way to meet you, and he will be glad to see you. [15] You shall speak to him and put words in his mouth; I will help both of you speak and will teach you what to do. [16] He will speak to the people for you, and it will be as if he were your mouth and as if you were God to him. [17] But take this staff in your hand so you can perform the signs with it.” Scripture taken from the THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, NIV Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Reflect
What was the purpose of all these spectacular "signs"?It takes a while to get to the heart of the problem. Moses begins reasonably enough: “What if they do not believe me?” I’ve been away for years; how can I convince them that I’ve really met with God? God’s response is to transform something utterly ordinary. Moses knows his staff has never been anything other than a staff. Yet through God’s power, it becomes a venomous snake. Nor has his hand ever been leprous. These are signs to Moses as much as to the people he will meet: signs that God is utterly able and is to be trusted. Then, the conversation continues reasonably enough: “I have never been eloquent … I am slow of speech” (10). Can’t you find someone better? But if God is utterly able, he can enable the one he sends. Finally we get to the real issue. Exodus 4:13 is hard to translate, but it has the sense of “You can send anyone, so why must it be me?” I tried and failed: why must I try again? God is angered: Moses will not trust him. Although God provides Aaron to stand with Moses, the task is his alone.
Apply
Moses was given everything he needed to undertake this task. How might God want to transform and use you?
Closing prayer
Lord God, You are able to enable me. Help me to answer You with faith and confidence when You call.
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