We find ourselves in Exodus 4:10-17, and my title for this little study is "Someone Else."
But Moses said to the LORD, "Oh, my Lord, I am not eloquent, either in the past or since you have spoken to your servant, but I am slow of speech and of tongue." Then the LORD said to him, "Who has made man's mouth? Who makes him mute, or deaf, or seeing, or blind? Is it not I, the LORD? Now therefore go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall speak." But he said, "Oh, my Lord, please send someone else." Then the anger of the LORD was kindled against Moses and he said, "Is there not Aaron, your brother, the Levite? I know that he can speak well. Behold, he is coming out to meet you, and when he sees you, he will be glad in his heart."
Have you ever noticed that not every character in the Bible gets the same amount of pages? Sometimes the story slows down and we get an extensive biography of one of the characters of Scripture, sometimes, from birth to death. You get this with the story of Moses; we get to witness his entire life. The story slows down with Abraham, with Joseph, with David, with Peter, and with Paul. Now, why is this true?
Well, our tendency, because there is so much focus on these characters, is to make heroes of them. But that's not the purpose of these biographies. "The lives of these characters," now hear what I'm about to say, "are intended to be a canvas on which God paints the glorious operation of his forgiving, rescuing, transforming, empowering, and delivering grace." I don't know if you've noticed this as you've talked with other believers, but God works to bring us all to the same place, to produce in us the same fruit; but every person's story of grace is unique and different. So, God gives us the slowed down biographies of different people so we can see the different ways his amazing grace operates to transform and empower people that he has set his love on.
In the passage I just read, we see Moses still living in fear and doubt. After all of the reassurance, after all the promises of God's presence and power, as God, telling Moses, "I've remembered my covenant, I am the great I AM;" he's still living in fear and doubt, and because he's living in fear and doubt, he's resisting God's call. And so, we get to witness, up close and personal, how God deals with someone who, in fear, resists what God has told him to do. I'm sure you can't relate to that.
God does two things, and they're worth noticing. First, is a vertical reminder. He continues again to patiently remind Moses of his presence and his power; that Moses would root his attitude and willingness, not in himself, but in who God is. God doesn't call us because we're able, but because he's infinitely able, has infinite power, and is willing to unleash that power for our help. So, vertical reminder.
The second thing is horizontal help. Because his ability to communicate is a thing that is producing fear in Moses, God gives him the gift of his brother, Aaron; that he would call Aaron, and Aaron would be willing to be the spokesman for Moses. You have to be blown away by the patience and love which God handles Moses. It's just amazing! And he offers that same patience and love to us in our moments of fear!
Questions for Personal Reflection or Group Discussion
1. When have fear and doubt in your life caused you to resist God's call? What happened as a result? In what ways might you be resisting the call of God in your life right now? How do you think God feels about you when you resist his call (go back to the passage and see how God responded to Moses when he resisted)?
2. How do you get vertical reminders from God when you're struggling? What helps you to recognize God's presence and power when you're tempted to forget it? What usually happens when you root your attitude and willingness in yourself instead of in who God is?
3. Why do you think God personally called you to himself? Do you think he called you because you are able and competent? How have you seen God's power made perfect in your weakness? Try to think of specific examples from your past.
4. What's a specific weakness in your life that causes you fear? In what ways have you prayed about that weakness and asked God to intervene? How has God responded to your prayers? If God could have just miraculously fixed Moses' inability to communicate clearly, why do you think he used Aaron to communicate for Moses instead?
5. In what ways has God been patient with you when you've resisted him or made excuses like Moses? Take some time to think this through and list a few bullet points chronicling God's patience with you.
For Younger Children:
1. What is patience? Can you describe what it means to be patient?
2. What do you think it means to resist? Can you give me an example of resistance?
3. How are we resistant to God while he is patient with us? What gifts has God given to us even though we have resisted him? Why is it important for us to pause and remember the ways God has been patient with us?
For Older Children:
1. What are some things in your life that have spurred you on towards following God's call for you? What has encouraged you to do the opposite and resist God's call in your life? What feelings or thoughts are behind your resistance to God's call to live a specific way?
2. Why do you think God so often uses weak people to show off his power? Is that confusing to you? Why or why not?
3. Why do you think God used Aaron in Moses' life to help him instead of just miraculously fixing his communication problems? What does that tell you about God and how he might work in your life in a similar way?
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