Now go; I will help you speak and will teach you what to say
Exodus 4:12
Put yourself in Moses’ shoes for a minute! Imagine that you were a special student on the American government scholarship. Every week you meet with the president and the nation is grooming you for some diplomatic position in the future. Suddenly, by accident, you killed an American citizen and had to run away from justice. You were declared wanted by the most powerful nation in the world! The truth is you probably won’t survive one week if they really want you dead! The only reason Moses has survived forty years after he was declared wanted in Egypt is that God is with him.
Imagine standing in Moses’ sandals for a moment. Picture yourself as a gifted student, handpicked for a prestigious American government scholarship. Every week, you meet the president, and the nation meticulously prepares you for a future diplomatic role. Suddenly, through a tragic accident, you take an American citizen’s life and are forced to flee. You’re declared a fugitive by the world’s mightiest nation! The truth is you probably won’t survive one week if they really want you dead! The only reason Moses survived forty years after he was declared wanted in Egypt was that God was with him.
When he first came to Midian, it must have been a struggle. He had to do all the things that servants did for him, leaving the comfort of the most luxurious palace in the world to live in the middle of nowhere. Forty years down the line, he was able to put the past behind him, had forgotten how to live like a prince, and built a new life. And now, God is literally bringing back the shadow of his past to hunt him? His speech was gone, and his confidence melted! There were two major reasons for this: first, these Israelites hadn’t agreed with him forty years ago due to his arrogance, so why would they agree now? And even if they do, how do you convince Pharaoh to release his entire workforce, the life of Egypt’s economy, in exchange for nothing? These thoughts will paralyse anybody, so 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.” (Exodus 4:10). God made Moses a promise “Now go; I will help you speak and will teach you what to say.” (Exodus 4:12)
In a sense, God’s mandate to preach Christ to people is similar to Moses’ mandate to declare God’s word to Israel. God rescued us from darkness (Pharaoh) and called us to share the message of His salvation. Most times, we shy away from preaching because we don’t know what the people’s response will be, just like Moses didn’t know what to expect from the Israelites. However, God’s promise to Moses is true for us today as well: “Now go; I will help you speak and will teach you what to say.”
Add this to your to-do list: tell someone about Jesus this week. Share His unconditional love. Tell them about his unconditional love; that he came like a doctor to the sick and not the healthy. Tell them that it doesn’t matter how far gone they have been into sin, Jesus is willing to give them rest! And don’t worry about the utterance, just go! And the Lord will help you speak and teach you what to say!
PRAYER
Dear Lord, thank you for rescuing me out of darkness and bringing me into your marvellous light. I know your command is that I should preach your word to those still in darkness but sometimes I don’t know how. Please teach me what to say and help me to say it in Jesus’ name. Amen
