Isn't it sad that our assumptions of what might happen can hinder us from serving God with our whole heart? I've been thinking a lot about Moses, I can relate to Moses. He didn't think he was gifted enough to do what God called him to do and he was worried about how people would respond to his ministry. Yeah, I can relate to that.
Let's take a little look (in Exodus 3 and 4) at his responses as God spoke to him from a burning bush. God wanted to use Moses as an instrument to bring his people out of slavery to the Egyptians.
Moses said "Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh
and bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?"
Imagine yourself in that position of authority, doing such a great task, and feeling inadequate. Can anyone else relate to this as much as I do? You know how God responded to Moses? It's the same way he responds to our protests, "But I will be with you."
Still, Moses' concerns are not laid to rest. Moses said to God,
"If I come to the people of Israel and say to them, 'The God of your
fathers has sent me to you,' and they ask me, 'What is his name?'
what shall I say to them?"
Moses is really wondering how all this is going to turn out. What is he supposed to say to these people? How will they believe that this is all very real and true? How will they believe that God has sent me? What can I say to make them listen to me? God actually does tell Moses what he should say...
"I AM WHO I AM."
And he said, "Say this to the people of Israel,
'I AM has sent me to you.'"
And say this too "The LORD, the God of your
fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Issac,
and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you."
fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Issac,
and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you."
God told Moses to tell the people that God had seen all that had been done to them in Egypt and that God promised to bring them out of bondage. God said,
"And they will listen to your voice..."
Was Moses convinced yet? He answered,
"But behold, they will not believe me or listen to my voice,
for they will say, 'The LORD did not appear to you."
It's interesting how Moses is so sure the people won't believe him and he even thinks that he knows what they will most likely say! Did Moses really know how things would turn out? Do we really know how things will turn out with us? I confess I am guilty of assuming the worst at times and a subtle fear of man has at times held me back from wholehearted service to God.
Have you ever had similar thoughts to these?
"No, I'm not going to ask her, she's probably too
busy and has better things to do."
"There's that person I just met last week. I'm not going to
go over and talk to her again. It was awkward last time and
she probably thinks I'm weird for seeking her out."
"If I start talking to this person about the gospel
they're going to ask me questions I won't be able
to answer and I'm going to look like an idiot."
"I feel so bad that her husband died. She must be hurting.
I wish I could reach out in some way, but I'll probably
end up saying the wrong thing. Not to mention feeling awkward."
We assume we know the outcome. We think we know how people will respond. And you know what? It's true, sometimes things will happen just like we thought they would. But isn't obeying God most important regardless of the outcome? What amazing blessings from his hand will we miss out on because we are too afraid to respond to the Holy Spirit's prompting?
Our lack of faith in God's ability to work in unexpected and amazing ways is a hindrance in our service to him. It is also a hindrance to our prayers for others. More about that in my next post.
[re-posted from the archives of my former blog // dated 7.25.2011
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