Now the Lord had said to Moses in Midian, “Go back to Egypt, for all those who wanted to kill you are dead.” So Moses took his wife and sons, put them on a donkey and started back to Egypt. And he took the staff of God in his hand. (Exodus 4: 19-20 NIV)
Have you ever debated with God over anything He has asked you to do? Have your fears and sense of incapability ever paralyzed you when God has asked something of you?
In Exodus 3:10, God says to Moses, “So now, go. I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt.” When Moses expressed his concern to God that he may not be received as having been sent by God, God showed him a staff that he was to bring with him.
Moses was still not feeling confident about fulfilling the Lord’s request to him. So, in Exodus 4:10, we read, Moses said to the Lord, “Pardon your servant, Lord. I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since you have spoken to your servant. I am slow of speech and tongue.” In Exodus 4:13 Moses says, “Pardon your servant, Lord. Please send someone else.” After which, God allowed Aaron to go with Moses to speak for him when he saw Pharaoh.
The Lord has never asked me to go to Egypt in a physical sense, but He has asked me to do things that have caused me to be apprehensive. When that happens in any of our lives, our hesitancy can be caused by various things – those things which cause us to question why God would chose us for a given task. One such example in my life took place in 1991. For several years prior to that, I had been worshipping with a faith community where I enjoyed the style of worship and fellowshipping with others in my age group. In the late summer of 1991, I felt the Lord prompting me in His still, small voice. He wanted me to return to the faith community where I had worshipped as a child and in my teen years, which was a more traditional setting with an older congregation. I gave God as many “yeah buts” as I could think of in opposition to making that move, but after a short time I did follow His leading. I realized that God was clearly asking this of me and if that was the case then I just had to trust that He had a reason for it.
To assist Moses in accomplishing His will, God provided Moses with a staff through which, His presence and His power would be revealed. God’s way of making Himself known to us and those around us in our personal circumstances may vary. We may not have a physical sign like Moses did, but God always makes His presence and His power evident to us, as we endeavor to do His will. In my situation of following God without knowing why, the evidence wasn’t a physical sign, but He revealed His presence and His power to me in giving me contentment and peace. Despite the differences in ages and interests, God enabled me to find a place within that group where I genuinely felt acceptance and contentment.
A few months later, I discovered why God had chosen this path for me. Bruce was attending worship there regularly. Long story, short – Bruce and I have now been happily married for 20 years. Like any couple, we’ve had our trials, but our story is a demonstration of the amazing things that God has in store for us when we are willing to trust Him unconditionally, while seeking to follow Him.
My prayer is, “Heavenly Father, please continue to speak to each of us in Your still, small voice. We need your guidance. Thank you for loving and valuing us even in our weaknesses. Please help us to trust you, even when we can’t see what lies ahead of us. Please help us to persevere through our frailties; physical, emotional or spiritual. May You receive all the honor and the glory. In Jesus’ Name. AMEN.”
