Moses is one of my favorite prophets.
Our Impediments
At times I feel that my transparency could be misunderstood. Posting videos to promote this blog is part of the plan to reach out to others who need a daily dose of Scripture. Recently I shared that I speak with a lisp and that I suffer from tremors. After seeing the post, I felt a little uncomfortable. Did I share too much of myself? Once it’s on the worldwide web, it no longer matters what one thinks. That morning I went to Mass and as soon as I walked in the Lord revealed something so profound. “The Devil uses our faults to keep us down, but God uses them to keep us humble.” I felt a great sense of comfort in knowing that what I am doing is to win others back to Christ.
The Prince
Moses was born at a time of great persecution, where a cultural genocide was taking place. Because the Egyptians did not like that so many Hebrews were being born, they ordered all Hebrew male babies to be killed.
Through the providence of God, Moses’ life was spared. Not only was he saved by an Egyptian princess but his own mother was allowed to nurse him (Exodus 2:1-9). The princess knew from the outset that the baby wrapped in a Hebrew blanket was Hebrew.
Moses was raised in a palace with all his material needs met, but he knew he was Hebrew. He witnessed an Egyptian striking a Hebrew performing forced labor and killed the Egyptian. His life as a prince was over, so he became a shepherd.
The Shepherd
Moses was 40 years-old when he fled his life as a prince. He knew that the Egyptian king was after him. But Moses’ flight to Midian was also part of God’s plan for his life. There as a shepherd he met and married Zipporah. Their first-born son was named Gershom, meaning: “I am a stranger residing in the foreign land.” (Exodus 2:22)
The Burning Bush
Moses was comfortable being a shepherd; the last thing he wanted to do was to return to Egypt where he was a wanted man. But God had a plan–a big plan. God appeared to Moses in the burning bush and gave him his commission. At this point in the narrative, Moses is asking, “Why me, Lord?’
What do you do when God gives you a commission? Do you ignore it or put it off for another day? For as long as I can remember, whenever something is asked of me if it requires a lot of sacrifice on my behalf, I put it off until God gets ahold of my heart. Then He guides me through what needs to be done.
The feeling of guilt always creeps into my spirit, “Did I do enough? Could I have done more?” Yes, there is always more we can do, but the little that we do can go a long way. A service of love is always received in gratitude. Rather than complain, make it a labor of love and the burden will be lifted.
Brian
God gave my friend Brian a commission. Brian is a school teacher, so he has several months off during the summer. His mother was having knee replacement surgery and she needed someone to help her with her recovery. When I heard that Brian was going to fly up north to help his mother, I was surprised. This is not an easy commission, it requires a lot of patience. Brian arrived the day after her surgery. This was the most crucial time of recovery when the patient is in the most pain and discomfort. Brian had to make sure that his mother’s knee was iced to prevent swelling. He has been preparing a few meals and running all of her errands. Certainly all this service of love has brought a mother and son into a new relationship, a special bond of love and dependence. In Brian’s words, “The role has reversed, and now I get to take care of my mother, who took care of me.”
Convincing Moses
Honestly consider all the verbiage that God had to endure to convince Moses to do what he was born to do. Our God is a God of great patience! Finally all is set and Moses first has to convince the Israelites. Even after God gives Moses props, a staff that miraculously turns into a snake or his hand covered in scales and then becoming completely healed. Moses continues to question his purpose.
The Speech Impediment
This was another excuse: “I’m slow in speech and tongue.” Moses did not want to speak because he felt inadequate. Even when God explained to Moses that He would put the words in his mouth, Moses asked Him to send someone else. In God’s anger, the commission was transferred to his brother Aaron. I find it interesting that all Jewish kings come from the lineage of Aaron.
11 The Lord said to him: Who gives one person speech? Who makes another mute or deaf, seeing or blind? Is it not I, the Lord? 12 Now go, I will assist you in speaking and teach you what you are to say. 13 But he said, “If you please, my Lord, send someone else!”
The Prophet
God chose Moses and trusted him with the Ten Commandments. With all his hesitation, his speech impediment, his excuses of not measuring up to God’s expectations, God saw him as he was and used him in the most powerful way. The irony in Moses’ life is that he got to see the Promised Land but he never set foot in it.
Are you being called to help someone but do not feel worthy or do not want to be bothered? Do you know that each of us has been commissioned to do something out of our comfort zone? When you fulfill your commission, you will know the difference you make in others’ lives. And in your life as well.
My Prayer
Dear Lord, give us special graces to do all that You ask of us. Let us not put off what You have set aside for us to do. Give us special graces to accomplish the work for Your Kingdom. Amen.
