April 4, 2022 (Lent Week 5)

 


One of today’s readings is from Exodus, or, in my mind the book of Moses. It has many much-loved stories from Moses in the basket, to the burning bush, the original Passover, the parting of the Red Sea, the 10 commandments, manna in the desert and the 40 years tramping around the desert before the Israelites arrive at the promised land.

In our reading, we are entering the tail end of God’s conversation with Moses from the burning bush.  He has asked Moses to return to Egypt from Midian where he is in exile to talk with the elders of the Israelites and to go with them to Pharoah (the king of Egypt) to persuade him to let the Israelites go.  Moses (in my mind quite naturally) is reluctant to go. 

“Moses however, says “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.”   (Ex. 4:10)

He asks God to send someone else, not him.

Rather like Jonah who tries to hide when God wants him to go to preach to the people of Nineveh to change their ways and return to God, I think Moses is afraid of not being able to say the right thing at the right time to the right people.  He is likely afraid of being ignored or laughed at or of not being listened to at all.

I often feel the same way.  I can’t think quickly enough and often think of just the right reply or retort to something someone has said to me hours or days later.  I feel uncomfortable trying to be a good apostle for God and Jesus Christ.  How can I say the right thing? And more importantly, the right thing at the right time? How can I keep from turning people off?  What can I, a mere mortal, say to bring people to God and to Christ?

Although God is mad with Moses for saying that he can’t do God’s bidding and for asking God to send someone else (in fact in Exodus 4: 24 God tries to kill Moses on his way back to Egypt), God gives Moses an out.  God says to Moses:

“…What about your brother, Aaron the Levite?  I know he can speak well.” …  “You shall speak to him and put words in his mouth; I will help both of you speak and will teach you what to do.  He will speak to the people for you, and it will be as if he were your mouth and as if you were God to him.”  Ex. 4:14-16

Wouldn’t it be nice if we all had a brother like Aaron who could speak for us?  It would make things so much easier. Instead, I pray for God’s wisdom in speaking, for when to speak and what to speak. I pray for God to put words in my mouth so that I am able to help my friends, family, acquaintances, and others to know and love the Lord my God.

We are all ambassadors of Christ, his apostles.  Let us not be afraid to speak, for He is with us.

- Jacky Hall-Buckland

 


 

 

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