LifeLink Devotions for Tuesday, September 24, 2024

Yesterday we learned how God was building the faith of Moses so he could overcome his fears and failures. Moses was at first not a very willing student in the school of faith. In fact, he made a lot of excuses to not do the required assignments. But with each excuse God answered graciously and provided continued opportunities for Moses to pass the class.

Moses’ first excuse for non-involvement in God’s plan was that he felt he was a nobody because his previous failure had disqualified him. The second excuse Moses gives is found in today’s Scripture.

Exodus 3:13-14  Moses said to God, “Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ Then what shall I tell them?” God said to Moses, “I am who I am. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I am has sent me to you.’”

 In other words, Moses was saying, “I can’t do it because I’m not a theologian and can’t answer their questions.”

Have you ever backed down from doing something God has asked you to do because you don’t feel theologically qualified? It’s a common problem. We don’t witness or teach or lead a Bible study because we are afraid we don’t have all the answers. Well, I have news for you – none of us will ever have all the answers and none of us will ever know all there is to know about any theological subject. We are all limited, so we have two options:

1.      Give up and never try, or

2.      Use what we have and let God give us more.

Unfortunately, far too many people choose option #1. They forget the promises of John 14:26-27 where Jesus says, “But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” And Luke 12:11-12 where Jesus again says, “When you are brought before synagogues, rulers and authorities, do not worry about how you will defend yourselves or what you will say, for the Holy Spirit will teach you at that time what you should say.” You see, the Holy Spirit is responsible to give us the answers at the time that we need them. We have nothing to fear.

God gave Moses a direct answer to his question. If the people ask “Who sent you?” he was to tell them, “I AM” has sent me. The people would know that Moses was referring to the eternal, self-existent God they knew as YHWH, or Jehovah. You know Him too, and if the only answer you have to the questions people will ask you is that you have placed your faith in the Eternal, Almighty, Sovereign God, then you are theologically equipped to go anywhere God sends you.

So, if you’ve been using ignorance as an excuse for not obeying God’s direction, confess it today and take a step of faith that says “YES!” to what God has asked you to do. You can do it because THE GREAT I AM is with you.

Pastor John