Tag: Moses

Self-doubt

Often when I think about the Bible I find people within it’s pages to whom I relate. I admire Esther’s courage and willingness to be used for the good of her people. I wish I were more like David, who confidently strode into battle with Goliath because of his confidence in God. I love Mary’s heart as she watches her Son become the Messiah.

Perhaps the story that hits closest to home is the story of Moses when he is called to go back to Egypt to save God’s people. Moses sees a bush burning, but it isn’t spreading or burning up. He thinks, “That’s strange” and investigates. Before he knows it he’s standing barefoot, covering his face, talking to the creator of the Universe.

God tells him he wants him to go back and rescue the Israelite people. Moses says, “What if…” God answers. Moses says, “What do I do when…” God answers. God shows him miracles he can preform. Even after all this Moses says, “I’m not a good speaker, you better send someone else.”

Moses is talking to God through a burning bush. God is showing him how to do miracles and when he says, “Go” Moses thinks, “Nah, you can find someone better.” Do you think it might enter Moses mind, that if God had a better choice he would know about it?

I am too often like Moses. My own self-doubt keeps me from feeling up to the task. I think of millions of reasons of why I am not worthy. But like Moses, this lack of confidence in oneself is actually lack of confidence in God’s ability. It was God who freed the Israelite people, it was by his power, Moses was just the vessel. I need to put my faith in the Great I Am and allow him to work in my life.

Exodus 4: 13-17 But Moses said, “Pardon your servant, Lord. Please send someone else.”
Then the Lord’s anger burned against Moses and he said, “What about your brother, Aaron the Levite? I know he can speak well. He is already on his way to meet you, and he will be glad to see you. You shall speak to him and put words in his mouth;
I will help both of you speak and will teach you what to do. He will speak to the people for you, and it will be as if he were your mouth and as if you were God to him. But take this staff in your hand so you can perform the signs with it.”

Be brave

As a young woman I was exposed to the flavour of my age, through education and popular culture. While the values espoused in my home were very different, I could not avoid these great cultural influences. Much of this was communicated through education, particularly in my University English Literature classes. The view pushed was to see the past through the lens of feminism. The Bible could not be avoided in these classes as it is a perennial and important source throughout Literature. But it was represented as patriarchal and repressive. Our duty, as modern students, was to shake the shackles off and evolve!

Even when I was young I saw this as a lack of knowledge. The people voicing these opinions likely had little knowledge of the text they were abusing. They were making assumptions without full understanding.

Look at Moses, one of the great patriarchs. Proof of the dominance of men in the Judeo-Christian viewpoint. This man sent by God to free the people of Israel from bondage. And yet he doesn’t exist without brave women. Midwives who refuse to kill the male babies born to Israelite women. A brave mother who risks her life and that of her family, by hiding her male infant. Even Pharaoh’s daughter, who recognized the baby she found as a Hebrew baby and who decided to keep it against her father’s orders.

All of these individual acts set up and enable one of the greatest triumphs in the Old Testament. None of these women could have imagined what their small contribution would allow.

So today, when we are called upon to do things, great or small, remember we have no idea what God has planned. Male or female he can use us for His good.