Moses, I will be with you...

Exodus 3:12 "And God said, "I will be with you..."'

God had a plan for Moses. He told Moses to go to Pharoh and to bring the Israelites out of Egypt where they had spent 430 years in slavery. God was asking him to do something way beyond what Moses thought he was personally capable of doing.  Moses was hesitant, to say the least.

Exodus 4:10-12  
Moses said to the LORD, "O 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."  The LORD said to him, "Who gave man his mouth?  Who makes him deaf or mute? Who gives him sight or makes him blind?  Is it not I, the LORD? Now go; I will help you speak and will teach you what to say."

After hearing this from God, one would think Moses might say, "Okay God, Yes! I'll do it because You will be with me!  Let's go!"  Yet, in the next verse, Moses responds...

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

I love Moses' response.  It is so honest and human!  Yet God is persistant -- He has His plan for Moses -- one that is bigger than Moses can ever imagine.  Yes, Moses cannot do it.  But God can do the impossible through Moses -- and He does.  

I can identify with Moses.  About five years ago, I was saying "no" to God.  Two opportunities were put in my path that would stretch me.  One:  Lead a bible study small group -- "Oh, I can't speak in front of all those ladies!"  Two:  Go to my first Mom's in Touch prayer group - "Oh, I can't pray out loud and sound as eloquent as the other moms!" I was telling God exactly what Moses was telling Him in Exodus 4:13.  "I'm not the one you want, LORD!  I cannot do this!  Send someone else!"   
  
But God had other plans...  At the time, I was reading through Exodus Chapters 3 and 4.  Through this scripture reading He was saying to me, "Yes you can, I will be with you. I made your mouth!  Now, let's go, my child!"  


God let me know, "Yes, I want you to do these things.  And Yes, you'll be okay.  Lean on me. It may not go exactly how you want it to go, you may not sound perfect or be perfect, but I will still work through you. Child, say yes to Me!"  I said "yes", and He used those opportunities to bring me further along His path, change me, stretch me, and strengthen my faith.  


LORD, I thank You that you stretch me.  I am imperfect, yet You are perfect. Thank You that we can point to things that stretch us beyond what we can do -- and we can say "That wasn't me, I could only have done it through God's help."  Help me to say "Yes" when You call on me to do the impossible, fully trusting in Your perfect plan.  Amen.

I do encourage you to read Exodus chapters 3 and 4.  They will give you courage, and they will even make you smile!