“But Moses said to the LORD, ‘If the Israelites will not listen to me, why would Pharaoh king of Egypt listen to me, since I speak with faltering lips?’” Exodus 6:12 (NIV-84)
I relate so much to Moses in this verse. I too am hesitant to step up to an assignment where I doubt my effectiveness.
When I first started in ministry I was terrified to give an invitation for people to receive Jesus. “What if no one responded?” I would feel like such a disappointment to the church but even worse … to God.
But that’s where I was wrong. My job is to be obedient to God and deliver the message.
God’s job is everything else.
Moses also got this wrong and it’s what fed his overwhelming doubts.
We must make note of a crucial fact in God’s instruction to Moses. He simply told Moses to go tell Pharaoh to “let the Israelites go out of his country,” (Exodus 6:11b, NIV). That’s all Moses was responsible to accomplish. He wasn’t responsible for anything but the delivery of the message.
The resistant way Moses responds lets me know he misunderstood his assignment. Moses thought he was to bring enough power in his words to convince Pharaoh.
Moses already felt like he was failing at the smaller assignment of getting the Israelites to listen to him. So, he was understandably hesitant to go and speak to the intimidating powerful leader, Pharaoh.
But God never told Moses to bring the power.
He was simply told to bring the words.
Moses’ job was to be obedient to God. God’s job was everything else.
God would bring the power. God would bring the strategy. God would bring all the plans together.
And God would certainly bring the victory.
God already assured Moses of this in Exodus 6:1b, “… Now you will see what I will do to Pharaoh: Because of my mighty hand he will let them go …” (NIV).
He wasn’t asking Moses to play every part. Moses was only supposed to play his part. And the same is true for you and me. What assignment has God put before you today? Feel encouraged that your job is simply to be obedient to God. God will handle everything else.
Dear Lord, I’m so thankful for Your promises and power. You only ask me to do my part, and so often I get caught up in all the details and worried about the outcome. Help me trust and obey You more, especially when I feel inadequate.
In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Being Michelle On Purpose
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