Originally posted: 02/22/2019
There is certainly much to consider in this historical and supernatural meeting between the LORD God and the man, Moses.
The insecure man prepares his well-thought argument with excuses, attempted negotiations, and explanations: “…surely there’s been a mistake, LORD.”
Moses, petrified to open his mouth before men, flings it open wide before the Sovereign LORD God. “What if…?”
In an attempt to make sense of how mere man could argue with the King of the Universe, I was reminded the goal is to see Him, not man. Fumbling through my own thoughts and questions, I could not get away from His Questions.
Consider His Questions
Then Moses said, “What if they will not believe me or listen to what I say? For they may say, ‘The Lord has not appeared to you,’” (4:1).
Moses questioned God. “What if?”…the age-old question, an undeniable expression of fear and doubt. The LORD answered with five questions of His own.
1) The Lord said to him, “What is that in your hand?” (4:2).
The LORD drew attention to the ordinary:
The ordinary gear of any shepherd. He then goes on to demonstrate His unequaled power through His signs.
The answer to His Question:
The ordinary becomes the extraordinary through His supernatural power.
2) The Lord said to him, “Who has made man’s mouth?” (4:11).
The LORD drew attention to the incompetent:
Moses felt inadequate and ill-equipped for this calling. The LORD reminds Moses of His power through creation.
The answer to His Question:
The incompetent becomes the competent through His creating power.
3) “Or who makes him mute or deaf, or seeing or blind?” (4:11).
The LORD drew attention to the liabilities:
The LORD proclaims His omnipotent sovereignty over every created being.
The answer to His Question:
Liabilities become assets through His transforming power.
4) “Is it not I, the Lord?” (4:11).
The LORD drew attention to Himself:
The LORD directs Moses to consider Him, the LORD, not the task!
Thee answer to His Question:
The LORD calls men to Himself, not to a task.
5) Then the anger of the Lord burned against Moses, and He said, “Is there not your brother Aaron the Levite?” (4:14).
And the LORD stopped any further discussion.
The answer to His Question:
His purpose will be accomplished. Regardless of man’s cooperation or resistance, His purpose will prevail.
How are we to respond to His Questions?
I think sometimes we forget… Moses felt completely inadequate to answer God’s call. But Moses was not called because he was fit for the job; it was the LORD alone Who would fit His servant to go in faith.
Rather than being paralyzed by our own questions, let us be reminded by His Questions to fix our eyes on His Answers.
1) When we recognize we are ordinary, let us remember we are His extraordinary workmanship.
“For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them,” (Ephesians 2:10).
2) When we realize we are incompetent, let us rely on His strength.
“I can do all things through Him who strengthens me,” (Philippians 4:13).
3) When we run into our liabilities, let us rejoice that He has chosen us: the weak, the foolish, the base.
“For consider your calling, brethren, that there were not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble; 27 but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong, 28 and the base things of the world and the despised God has chosen, the things that are not, so that He may nullify the things that are, 29 so that no man may boast before God,” (1 Corinthians 1:26-29).
4) When we are ravaged by doubt, let us revive ourselves in pursuing Him.
“But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ. 8 More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ,” (Philippians 3:7-8).
5) When we find ourselves tempted to resist His leading, we must, by faith, relinquish control; His purpose will prevail.
“I know that You can do all things, And that no purpose of Yours can be thwarted,” (Job 42:2).
When we seek Him in His Questions, we find Him, the Answer, for every need.
“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened,” (Matthew 7:7-8).
“God calls us to Himself not a task” LOVE THAT!
I love it too!
❤️