Exodus 4-6
Oh Dear Lord, please be with my mouth and teach me what I shall speak! Because my mouth is not eloquent.
Sometimes it is downright rude. Sometimes it lies. Sometimes it gets angry. Sometimes it hurts people.
Oh Dear Lord, please be with my mouth and teach me what I shall speak! Sometimes it stays shut when it should open to speak your words. Sometimes it forgets to give you praise. Sometimes it prefers to be grouchy or selfish instead of thankful.
Oh Dear Lord, please be with my mouth and teach me what I shall speak! Sometimes it doesn’t speak up for the oppressed. Sometimes it misses opportunities to spread joy and hope and your love. Sometimes…
Oh Dear Lord, please be with my mouth and teach me what I shall speak!
In Exodus 3 & 4 Moses is giving God lots of reasons (excuses) why He should pick someone else for the job of delivering God’s first-born child (the Israelites) out of slavery in Egypt.
- I am nobody special
- I don’t even know your name
- The elders won’t believe me
- I am not eloquent
- Somebody else can do it better
God has answers for it all. I love the Lord’s words in Exodus 4:12 (ESV): “Now therefore go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall speak.” What a beautiful promise! Yet, Moses still pleaded with Him to just send someone else! God got angry at that one. How many times does this child of God need to be reassured that his God is bigger than any fear that comes with doing His Work. The maker of your mouth can teach you how to use it – when you step up and GO where He wants you to GO! Did you notice that little two letter word at the start of God’s promise to be with Moses’ mouth and to teach him what to say? You’ll never know what words God is waiting to teach you to say if you say no and don’t go.
God graciously compromised with Moses and rather than sending someone else instead of Moses, He sent someone else to go along with Moses, his brother Aaron who was not ‘coincidentally’ coming out to the wilderness to meet Moses.
Maybe it’s time I spend less time on my excuses and instead say YES, step out and GO and trust God to do what He says He will do – be with my mouth and teach me what I shall speak!
-Marcia Railton
Reflection Questions
- What excuses have you tried giving God for not stepping out to do a job He wants you to do? How do they stand up to your GREAT BIG GOD?
- How can you be someone’s Aaron and come alongside him/her to do a job for God that perhaps neither of you would feel you could do “on your own”? Though, you are of course never “on your own” when you are doing the Lord’s work!? What are some other instances that God used the buddy system and what were some advantages to having a partner?
- So – the big question is – where does God want you to go? If you aren’t sure yet, be praying. And then, thank Him for being with your mouth and teaching you what you shall speak.
Seek Grow Love 