Hi
When last have you had a good conversation with God about your call? And how do you respond when you get your instructions? Perhaps like me, you harboured some doubt when the reality hit; or you experienced a moment’s fear. If you are an Abram, that’s great. But today’s Holy Nougat reminds us that some great movers for YHWH experienced their fair share of doubts.
“But Moses said to God, “If I come to the Israelites and say to them, ‘The God of your ancestors has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ what shall I say to them?”” Exodus 3:13 NRSV
What excuses do you give to God when called? I’m not sure I made it to the excuses bit. Like Moses, I was stuck on questioning God; probably preoccupied with the ‘Me-ness’ of God’s choice and seeking confirmation and validation from the wrong sources. At least Moses KNEW with Whom he ought to be seeking his argument – God.
For some of us get caught up in every thing except speaking directly with God, Who obviously has all the time in the world for our questions, hidden doubts and fears. Maybe it’s time to speak directly with God eh.
Critique of Moses and ourselves aside, I like his question. He KNEW who he’d have to return to. And with that little detail of the murder charge over his life, and his subsequent elopement from justice; Moses needed to be credible.
He needed answers for the skeptics, the influencers and the naysayers. He needed the Word for the disillusioned, the downtrodden and the desperate. He needed to encourage the helpful and hopeful. He needed to present God to a people who felt forgotten by their God. He needed to know Who he was representing for his own self.
For my dears, if we’re not convinced of God’s mission for our lives; we will be halfhearted about it and give up at the first whisper of trials. And the trials WILL come. And the whispers will get louder and louder, sometimes even sounding like logic and wisdom. And the doubts will assail whether we are convicted of our purpose or not.
In those moments, we will need a few things:
– saints praying for us
– someone who keeps us accountable;
and most of all;
– confidence that we are in God’s will and purpose
For without God, our mission could cost us our faith!
So let’s ask God for clarification and even confirmation that we are on the right track. Let’s ensure that we have the right Word for the skeptics, the influencers and the naysayers; for the disillusioned, the downtrodden and the desperate; for the helpful and hopeful; to those who feel forgotten by their God. We need the right Word for our own selves.
And we need it now; before it’s too late.
In Christ’s love and grace . . .
