LifeLink Devotions for Friday, September 27, 2024

Moses has run out of excuses for his fears, so now he begs God to send someone else to do the job God assigned to him. After all his excuses have been answered and the needs met, Moses finally decides he’s just not interested in the task.

Exodus 4:13 But Moses said, “O Lord, please send someone else to do it.”

It’s probable that he wasn’t interested from the very beginning, but like most of us Moses tries to justify why he can’t do it rather than admitting the truth right up front. I’ll bet Moses even justified his dishonest behavior by thinking he would let God down easy. I’ve done that. I bet you have too. It’s amazing how often our need for self-protection influences our choices. We try to save face and protect our image. But God forced Moses to reach the point where he had to admit the truth. Moses finally had to say, “I don’t care enough to go.”

Moses cared a little – he wanted someone to go. He just didn’t care enough to sacrifice his own life and conquer his own fears to answer the call himself. His own personal struggles were far more important to him than the struggles of his own people suffering in slavery in Egypt. His mother and father might still be alive. His whole family is still there. But all he can do is choose an outcome that benefits himself. If this were not so frighteningly true for us, we could be mad at Moses. But we make choices like that every day for the same reasons. We need to grow in our faith too.

God does not let us get away with such choices. When He has called us to a task, there is no escape. Somehow, someday, He will bring to completion the plan and purpose He has for us.

Exodus 4:14-17 Then the LORD’S anger burned against Moses and he said, ”What about your brother, Aaron the Levite? I know he can speak well. He is already on his way to meet you, and his heart will be glad when he sees you. You shall speak to him and put words in his mouth; I will help both of you speak and will teach you what to do. He will speak to the people for you, and it will be as if he were your mouth and as if you were God to him. But take this staff in your hand so you can perform miraculous signs with it.”

He provided Moses with Aaron so that Moses had no escape from his calling. He is already at work to bring each one of us to a point of positive response to his purpose. The only consequence of our rejection today is the loss of blessing until we finally join God’s plan. Imagine how much more Moses would have been blessed if he had said yes right away and experienced the transforming power of God in his life to do what was humanly impossible. Moses got to see God’s power displayed in external activity, but he missed the blessing of God’s internal activity. God will accomplish his purpose, and that will bless us; but when by faith we join Him in the adventure we experience an even greater blessing – the blessing of a prosperous and content spirit.

After all the excuses have been expressed, the bottom line is that they were all a cover-up for a selfish heart. Let’s learn to admit our own selfishness right up front, and God will meet our need, conquer our fears, and empower us for the task. Then we will be complete, knowing that we have participated in something not humanly possible. It’s a purpose not dependent upon human recognition but of eternal value, and there is no greater joy than that. 

Pastor John