PLEASE LORD, DON’T- JUST DON’T

GOD – Hi Moses. I have some work for you to do for me. I have children enslaved in Egypt; they are suffering tremendously.  I’d like to relocate them and relieve their suffering.  I am going to send you to the Pharaoh of Egypt; you tell him to let my people go.

                         

MOSES – Dear God, with all due respect, you must be joking.  You know I don’t know how to speak. “I’ve never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since you have spoken to your servant.  I am slow of speech and tongue” (Ex 4:10).

GOD – Moses, Moses, who gave man his mouth?  Who makes him deaf or mute?  Who gives him sight or makes him blind?  Is it not I, the Lord?  Now go; I will help you speak and will teach you what to say” (V11-12).  

MOSES – Please Lord, I do not want you to help me accomplish this task.  Please don’t; just don’t get me involved.  I came out of Egypt for a reason; the king has a warrant for my arrest, and I do not want to be seen anywhere in that vicinity.  “O Lord, send someone else to do it” (V13); someone who has a good reputation and is good at this sort of thing, and is very eloquent.

At this point in this dialogue, humanly speaking, you’d think it was time for zapping!  But no, our God does not operate that way.  He encourages, supports, and accommodates our inadequacies.  Amen!  Although His anger burned against Moses, He provided a helper in the person of Aaron, Moses’ brother.  He said to him, “I will help both of you speak and will teach you what to do” (V 15b).

However, if we overly try His patience, He could direct us to Jonah to find out what could possibly happen. 

Sometimes we can be so overwhelmed with fear that the only thing that will suffice for us is to be far removed from a situation.  But God has said to us many times, “Fear not, for I am with you.”  “I am with you” means “I am with you.”  Is anything too hard for Him?  Of course not! 

He enables those He calls, but let us remember, it does not mean everything will always go smoothly.  If everything went smoothly each time he commissioned us, when would He get to prove His wisdom, power, and strength?  Challenges in our lives are opportunities He provides for us to witness His greatness!  So don’t turn down the Lord’s help to accomplish the tasks He calls you to, for He is faithful.    

by Pearl Nsiah-Kumi,  RN, CRNC