LENT: Exodus 4

 Lenten devotions: Exodus 4 

(please read the chapter before reading this devotion)

In the previous chapter God revealed Himself as a the One who doesn’t need an “external” identity – I am who I am (Exodus 3:14). “I can not be identified by parental last name, marital status, job description, ownership of a share of a corporation etc.” He is the beginning of everything: time, space/matter, relationship. Therefore, as the beginning of everything He initiates the process of a call, call of Moses. By the end of the chapter, He tells Moses to return to Egypt, gather the elders of Israel, and tell them that they are better to ready for the Exodus (Exodus 3:16-22).

How did Moses respond? He came up with a solid excuse – what if they will not believe. A reasonable doubt – Moses already experience rejection by his brothers, and when he left there was not much faith among the Jews overall. To deal with this God gave him three special signs – staff turning into a serpent, a leprous hand placed next to heart being healed, and a reminder of the blood of babies being thrown into the Nile when water taken from the river will turn into blood on the ground (Exodus 4:1-9).

Then Moses raises less reasonable concern: I am not eloquent. Literally, he said I’m not a man of words. It was less reasonable – for the fact that Moses was taught in all the wisdom of Egypt (Acts. 7:22). But the LORD reminded Moses Who makes man’s mouth (Exodus 4:10-11).

Finally, Moses tries to play his last trump cart – or what he thought was a trump card – please send someone else? Now the anger of the LORD kindled…

We know the outcome of the story – Moses when back, endured the hardship of pharaoh’s resistance, and gloriously led people out of Egypt to Sinai to be in the covenant. When God leads you to be part of His mission you can have concerns – He will be happy to show His mighty ability to provide. When you have doubts about yourself – run to Him for proper self-identity that we find in His promises of Baptism. The only thing that can “set Him off” is our total rejection be walk the walk and to talk the talk. Pray that the LORD of life will help you to identify a place in His team.