"Go to Pharaoh that you may bring My people out of Egypt."
Daunting, impossible task for this has-been palace dweller turned shepherd. But God gives him a magnificent assurance. "I will be with you." God Himself was intending to go with Moses every step of the way. He is a Present God who never leaves or forsakes us. But this Truth wasn't enough for ole' Moses. He kept pressing the Lord. He kept looking at himself rather than looking at his God.
Don't we do this sometimes? Don't we spend more time navel gazing and working on the excuses of why we shouldn't and can't do the very thing God is saying: "Yep this task- this one is for you. I have done this more times than I care to remember. Always pondering if and how I can do something rather than just trusting the God Who knows me better than I know myself and calls me to a task in order to bring Him glory.
Moses tries to pre-think, something I am good at too.
"I am not eloquent (who said eloquence was required?)" Moses explains to the One who made his tongue. God reminds him of that very truth: "Yes, I know, I made you, remember?"
And then God tells Moses something that has been flashing in my mind these last couple weeks.
"Now therefore go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall speak."(Exodus 4:12, ESV)
God did not intend to TELL Moses what to say to Pharaoh. He intended to TEACH Moses what to say. He intended to TEACH him how to lead and bring His people out of their captivity.
This is especially interesting because Moses, was in a self-made captivity of sorts when God met him in the wilderness. Moses had sinned, failed God and his people. He had murdered a man and out of fear and conviction he ran. I wonder if, in a way, he was doing what Adam did in the Garden--run and hide. Unseen among the sheep in the Judean wilderness, he likely felt he was secluded. Until the One who sees all saw him and appeared to place a calling on him far beyond his imagination.
God does that you know. He calls the messed up, broken sinner to accomplish His purposes. He calls us with a divine calling to His glory and excellence, knowing FULL WELL our failures, mistakes, sins, and short-comings.
Why? Why bother? I really think it's like He told Moses, He desires to TEACH us what to say, write, do whatever so that we, the weak and broken, display His grace and goodness in a way that draws others to Him.
So what is He calling YOU to do? What is the assignment you feel unworthy to walk in? He finds us in the very wilderness where we're trying to hide and comes with a calling so He might teach us to display His goodness and grace for all to see and glorify our Father in Heaven.
