Don't Give Up!

Exodus 6:6-9 -  Say therefore to the people of Israel, 'I am the LORD, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will deliver you from their bondage, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great acts of judgment,  and I will take you for my people, and I will be your God; and you shall know that I am the LORD your God, who has brought you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians.  And I will bring you into the land which I swore to give to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob; I will give it to you for a possession. I am the LORD.'"  Moses spoke thus to the people of Israel; but they did not listen to Moses, because of their broken spirit and their cruel bondage.

Moses so wanted to give up…he just did not see how anyone could get the broken hearted people of Israel to listen to what God was telling them.  God gave Moses words of hope…told him to remind them of the mighty promises of God…but Satan had them tight in his hold.  They had allowed their minds to believe there was no hope. They had given up….and Moses wanted to give up too. He reverted back to his excuses…and asked God how he would ever get them to listen to anything he said from his uncircumcised lips.

We have all been there…in that bottomless pit….full of despair and wallowing it. In our broken state we are ready to give up….feeling in our pain that it is easier to give up…than search for a way out of our despair. And so Moses questions God’s choice of leadership once more…referring to his ‘mixed’ childhood of Hebrew blood and Egyptian luxury. Moses allowed the people’s despair to interrupt his passion to complete the task God gave him to do.  Moses allowed Satan to replant the old doubts of self worth….the same ones that God had already promised Moses would not interfere with the task he had given him.

You have to peek at the next chapter to see that God is going to give Moses the tools to succeed. He will have to do this task…the way God planned it all along…so that he can show his glory through the many signs to come…so that he can melt Pharaohs’ heart…so that he can prove to all that he is the one and only true God…all powerful…all knowing. Moses will have to hold on just a bit longer…and wait on God.  The people will have to endure just a bit more suffering….and wait for God….simply wait and trust that he is going to do what he said he would do.

I have been exactly where Moses is in the story so many times! I have let go of God’s hand and wallowed neck deep in pity.  Maybe it’s time that I stop asking God to fix all my physical flaws…the personality quirks that I think make me unusable to him….to stop making excuses for the imperfections I see in the mirror…or hear reflected back to me when I sing or talk….and accept that there is a reason for the way I am…and that he is going to use every characteristic of my being to build his kingdom somehow. I am not saying that everything about me is somehow good in itself…but that God can use everything in spite of what I think is good or bad. I am not saying that I need to stop trying to improve the bad habits I know hurt my witness…just that I need to let God mold me the way he wants to…in his way…for his purpose. Just as God used Moses…he can use me!

Father…I thank you that I do not have to be perfect….that you have a plan for me.  I am amazed that you can take this imperfect woman…and use her despite her feelings of doubt and unworthiness. Forgive me for letting go of your hand so many times…wrap your loving fingers around mine this morning and hold tight to me as you teach me what you need to teach me today.  Help me to rest in your perfection…and stop limiting myself with my human flaws. Amen.