Weaknesses and inabilities ∙
“My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses so that the power of Christ can work through me. – 2 Corinthians 12:9
Exodus 3:10-15
10 Now go, for I am sending you to Pharaoh. You must lead my people Israel out of Egypt.
11 But Moses protested to God, “Who am I to appear before Pharaoh? Who am I to lead the people of Israel out of Egypt?”
12 God answered, “I will be with you. And this is your sign that I am the one who has sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you will worship God at this very mountain.”
13 But Moses protested, “If I go to the people of Israel and tell them, ‘The God of your ancestors has sent me to you,’ they will ask me, ‘What is his name?’ Then what should I tell them?”
14 God replied to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM. Say this to the people of Israel: I AM has sent me to you.”
15 God also said to Moses, “Say this to the people of Israel: Yahweh, the God of your ancestors – the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob – has sent me to you. This is my eternal name, my name to remember for all generations.”
In the 19th century, a young man listened as a Bible teacher declared, “The world has yet to see what God can do with a man who is totally surrendered to Him.” That young man was Dwight L Moody. He said to himself, “I want to be that man.” Moody became one of the most influential evangelists of his era.
When the Father’s seeking gaze fell upon Moody, He found a man whose “availability” far exceeded his “ability.” But Moody’s ability mattered not at all. Because the Father can do a lot with very little if He has it all. Moody’s abilities were inconsequential because God can work miracles with minimal resources.
Despite only having a fifth-grade education, D.L. Moody achieved much. Born in Northfield, MA, in 1837, life dealt him a harsh blow when his father passed away at the age of 41, leaving his mother in destitution. Mrs. Moody, however, strived to keep her nine children not only together but together in Sunday school.
By the age of 17, Moody had carved out a successful career as a shoe salesman. On the evening of April 21, 1855, Edward Kimball, his Sunday school teacher, urged Moody to dedicate his life to Christ in the back room of the shoe store. Moody accepted Christ as his Savior and Lord.
Moody had significant shortcomings with the English language. He could not spell correctly, and his grammar was in a word, atrocious. People were appalled when they heard him speak. As a layman, the first time he stood up to speak as a young man, one of the deacons suggested that although his zeal was noteworthy, his greatest service to the Father would be to simply keep quiet.
Another naysayer urged him to acknowledge his severe limitations, noting, “You make too many mistakes in grammar.” Moody listened patiently and responded, “I know I make mistakes, and I lack many things, but I’m doing the best I can with what I’ve got.” He quietly looked at the critic and pointedly asked, “Look here, friend, you’ve got grammar enough. What are you doing with it for the Master?”
The Father is always looking for children of the King who will overlook their limitations and choose to take what they have and commit it in service to Him.
Ezekiel 22:30 I looked for someone who might rebuild the wall of righteousness that guards the land. I searched for someone to stand in the gap in the wall so I wouldn’t have to destroy the land, but I found no one.
REFLECT & PRAY
“Before we pray that God would fill us, I believe we ought to pray Him to empty us” (D.L. Moody).
Father when I look at my ability, I recognize how little is possible. But when I look at Your ability, I realize that all things are possible.
INSIGHT
When Moses saw the burning bush, he was initially curious and then entranced. He was irresistibly drawn to the burning flame, like a moth to bright light.
Exodus 3:2-4
2 Moses stared in amazement. Though the bush was engulfed in flames, it didn’t burn up.
3 “This is amazing,” Moses said to himself. “Why isn’t that bush burning up? I must go see it.”
4 When the LORD saw Moses coming to take a closer look, God called to him from the middle of the bush, “Moses! Moses!”
The Father gave Moses the most extraordinary task on earth since the flood. It was seemingly impossible for Noah to build the ark according to the Father’s specifications, but he did it anyway. No one had ever built anything like it. Noah was neither an engineer nor a carpenter, but it didn’t matter. Noah’s lack of formal skills was inconsequential. He was empowered and enabled by the greatest intelligent designer and carpenter of all.
Hebrews 11:7 It was by faith that Noah built a large boat to save his family from the flood. He obeyed God, who warned him about things that had never happened before.
Similar to Noah, God tasked Moses with an assignment that appeared to be unachievable. For all practical purposes, it was impossible. The prospect of liberating the Hebrew people from their Egyptian oppressors was daunting and filled Moses with trepidation. What power on earth could ever conquer mighty Egypt and free the Hebrew slaves? Indeed, not one man with only a shepherd’s staff, the sandals on his feet, and the clothes on his back.
Moses did not merely doubt God; he argued with Him. He was convinced that God had chosen the wrong person for this mission. Moses firmly believed he could not do any of the things that the Father asked of him. He lacked the necessary skills for such a monumental task and didn’t hesitate to voice his concerns.
He sounded like a motorboat: but, but, but.
Exodus 3:10-15
10 Now go, for I am sending you to Pharaoh. You must lead my people Israel out of Egypt.
11 But Moses protested to God, “Who am I to appear before Pharaoh? Who am I to lead the people of Israel out of Egypt?”
12 God answered, “I will be with you. And this is your sign that I am the one who has sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you will worship God at this very mountain.”
13 But Moses protested, “If I go to the people of Israel and tell them, ‘The God of your ancestors has sent me to you,’ they will ask me, ‘What is his name?’ Then what should I tell them?”
The reservations that Moses expressed in Exodus likely only touched the tip of the iceberg concerning his grave doubts and objections towards the Father’s assignment
Yet, God remained unfazed by these challenges. Moses’ concerns mattered not a whit to the Father. Every challenge was met by a specific promise and new information that Moses was privileged to be the first person in history ever to know the name of God.
Consider this – from the dawn of creation until Moses’ encounter with the burning bush around 1450 BC; no human knew the actual name of God. They had terms to refer to God, such as Elohim and Lord, but His real name remained unknown. But what was His name? Moses had the boldness and good sense to ask, so the Father told him.
Exodus 3:14-15
14 God replied to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM. Say this to the people of Israel: I AM has sent me to you.”
15 God also said to Moses, “Say this to the people of Israel: Yahweh, the God of your ancestors – the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob – has sent me to you
Message received, assignment accepted, and the rest is history!
Hebrews 11:27 It was by faith that Moses left the land of Egypt, not fearing the king’s anger. He kept right on going because he kept his eyes on the one who was invisible.
Noah, Moses, and D. L. Moody shared the same open secret: “It’s not about you!”
2 Corinthians 12:9-10
9 “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me.
10 That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses . . .. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
¯\_(ツ)_/¯ 7-23-1
© Dr. H 2023
Dr H Reflections 