Exodus 4:11-12 The Lord said to him, “Who gave human beings their mouths? Who makes them deaf or mute? Who gives them sight or makes them blind? Is it not I, the Lord? Now go; I will help you speak and will teach you what to say”

I’m feeling like Moses

This weekend is our Women’s tea at our church. I am scheduled as the speaker. Now I am quite a talker. I talk all the time, sometimes finishing other people’s sentences (which by the way some people really hate). I have always loved to talk, and I feel like it’s one of my gifts, but taking the gift of gab and transferring that to the skill of a speaker is something I have not yet conquered. In the verses leading up to our reading, Moses pretty much says what I’m feeling today, “Pardon your servant, Lord. I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since you have spoken to your servant.”

What does God say to me (and you)? 

The verses we’re looking at today is God’s response to Moses’ insecurities with being a public speaker. God says (in essence), Dude, I made your mouth, I made you able to form words, I can also fill your mouth with the words I want you to say.

God is not a ventriloquist

It’s not that God makes us say specific words or is physically speaking through us (without our participation), He’s teaching us what to say. You know that old proverb, “Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.” I believe that’s what God is doing here for Moses, and in turn for you and I when we are to speak about His love for us. He’s not just putting the words in our mouth, He’s teaching us.

I’m a hands on learner

There are all sorts of ways people learn. Some learn best by reading, some by hearing and some by doing. I’m pretty much a learn by doing kind of person. I can learn something by hearing, but if I’ve done it myself it really sticks. I think our whole lives are learning experiences that are to be used for God’s glory. Whether it’s speaking to 100 people or your neighbor in your living room over  a cup of coffee. Our experiences, good and bad, are what allow us to point others to Jesus.

In 2 Corinthians 1:3-7 (The Living Bible) it reads, “What a wonderful God we have – He is our Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the source of every mercy, and the one who so wonderfully comforts and strengthens us in our hardships and trials. And why does he do this? So that when others are troubled, needing our sympathy and encouragement, we can pass on to them this same helps and comfort God has given us. You can be sure that the more we undergo sufferings for Christ, the more he will shower us with his comfort and encouragement. We are in deep trouble for bringing you God’s comfort and salvation. But in our trouble God had comforted us – and this, too, to help you: to show you from our personal experience how God will tenderly comfort you when you undergo these same sufferings. He will give you the strength to endure.”

What are you learning? 

As we go through hardships, pain and struggle, there is a purpose, and that purpose (for everything in our lives) is to point back to Christ Jesus. Giving God the glory in all circumstances. Now I don’t know if I’ll be amazing or embarrassing on Saturday, but either way, I trust the Lord will use it for His glory. I pray it’s amazing! I hate being embarrassing.