Exodus 4:7-12: a reflection

7He said, “Put your hand inside your cloak again.” He put his hand inside his cloak again, and when he took it out of his cloak, behold, it had turned again as his other flesh. 8“It will happen, if they will not believe you or listen to the voice of the first sign, that they will believe the voice of the latter sign. 9It will happen, if they will not believe even these two signs or listen to your voice, that you shall take of the water of the river, and pour it on the dry land. The water which you take out of the river will become blood on the dry land.” 10Moses said to the LORD, “O Lord, I am not eloquent, neither before now, nor since you have spoken to your servant; for I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue.” 11The LORD said to him, “Who made man’s mouth? Or who makes one mute, or deaf, or seeing, or blind? Isn’t it I, the LORD? 12Now therefore go, and I will be with your mouth, and teach you what you shall speak.”

When God calls Moses to speak for him, Moses shrinks back, pleading his own inadequacy: O Lord, I am not eloquent; I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue. He feels unequal to the task, unfit to speak. But God does not accept the excuse of inadequacy; he answers with a question that turns Moses' eyes from his own weakness to God himself: Who made man's mouth? Isn't it I, the LORD? Now therefore go, and I will be with your mouth, and teach you what you shall speak. God, who made the mouth, would be with Moses' mouth; the one who calls also equips. Moses' felt inadequacy was real, but it was not the last word; God would go with him and give him what to say. The God who calls us does not leave us to our own inadequacy; he goes with us and equips us for what he calls us to do.

Notice how God answers Moses' sense of inadequacy: who made your mouth? I will be with your mouth. Moses pleaded that he was slow of speech, unfit for the task; and the plea was honest. But God did not answer by denying Moses' weakness or by choosing someone more capable; he answered by pointing to himself. He who made the mouth would be with Moses' mouth and teach him what to say. Moses' inadequacy was not the deciding factor; God's presence and provision were. The one who calls also equips; God does not send us in our own strength but goes with us and gives us what we need. Our felt inadequacy, however real, is met by the God who made us and goes with us. What matters is not that we feel equal to the task, but that God, who calls us, will be with us and equip us for it.

That is worth taking to heart, for God equips and goes with those he calls, despite our felt inadequacy. When God calls us to something, we can shrink back, pleading our own inadequacy, feeling unequal to the task, as Moses pleaded he was slow of speech; but God answers not by denying our weakness but by pointing to himself: who made your mouth? I will be with you. The one who calls us also equips us; he does not leave us to our own inadequacy but goes with us. Do not shrink back from God's call, pleading your own inadequacy; the God who calls you will be with you and equip you, as he was with Moses' mouth. Trust that God equips and goes with those he calls, despite your felt inadequacy, as he answered Moses' plea of a slow tongue by promising, I will be with your mouth and teach you what to say; for the one who calls us also equips us, and our felt inadequacy, however real, is not the deciding factor but is met by the God who made us and goes with us into what he calls us to do.

Lord, when you call Moses to speak for you, Moses shrinks back, pleading his own inadequacy: O Lord, I am not eloquent; I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue. He feels unequal to the task, unfit to speak. But you do not accept the excuse of inadequacy; you answer with a question that turns Moses' eyes from his own weakness to you: who made man's mouth? Isn't it I, the LORD? Now therefore go, and I will be with your mouth, and teach you what you shall speak. You, who made the mouth, would be with Moses' mouth; the one who calls also equips. Moses' felt inadequacy was real, but it was not the last word; you would go with him and give him what to say. Show me how you answer Moses' sense of inadequacy: who made your mouth? I will be with your mouth. Moses pleaded that he was slow of speech, unfit for the task; and the plea was honest. But you did not answer by denying Moses' weakness or by choosing someone more capable; you answered by pointing to yourself. He who made the mouth would be with Moses' mouth. Moses' inadequacy was not the deciding factor; your presence and provision were. The one who calls also equips. Take that to my heart, for you equip and go with those you call, despite my felt inadequacy. When you call me to something, I can shrink back, pleading my own inadequacy, feeling unequal to the task, as Moses pleaded he was slow of speech; but you answer by pointing to yourself. Keep me from shrinking back from your call, pleading my own inadequacy; help me trust that you, the God who calls me, will be with me and equip me, Lord, as you were with Moses' mouth and promised to teach him what to say.