Saturday, July 31, 2021

Minute Meditations: Exodus 4

Moses is standing in the presence of God, Who is speaking to him out of the burning bush that is not consumed by the divine fire. He has heard God pronounce the Divine Name. He has seen his own staff turn into a snake and back into a staff. He has witnessed God change his hand to the hand of a leper and back again. God has told Moses that he is to go to the Pharaoh and speak as God's representative that God may bring the people of Israel out of Egypt and settle them in the Promised Land.

After all this, Moses stands there before God and whines that he isn't a good speaker. He is far from eloquent, he tells God, in fact he is “slow of speech and slow of tongue.” God assures Moses that He can handle the problem. After all, God is the One Who makes the deaf hear and the blind see and the dumb talk. He can take care of Moses. We would think that Moses would be comforted and strengthened by God's assurances and by the miracles he has just seen.

But the next words out of Moses mouth are “O my Lord, please send someone else!” Isn't that so very human? Moses is scared and insecure. He doesn't want to step out of his comfort zone. He doesn't want this mission. He can do without the honor. He just wants to be left alone to hide.

If God had been incarnate at that moment, He probably would have rolled His eyes and shaken His head at Moses. But He doesn't give up on Moses. Instead, He eliminates Moses' last excuse. Moses' brother, Aaron, speaks fluently and well, and when God tells Moses what to say, Moses will, in turn, tell Aaron. Aaron will serve as the mouthpiece. Moses is out of excuses, and he sets out on his mission.

No comments:

Post a Comment