Have you ever witnessed a miracle? A true miracle with your own eyes? Sure, we could say there are miracles around us all the time, and we just don’t realize it. That is true. But I’m talking about an obvious miracle. Awe striking. Chills up your spine. Laws of nature defying. I’ll-never-be-the-same-after-experiencing-that kind of miracle.
Focusing on the Wrong Thing
Moses experienced such a miracle. He experienced more than one, in fact. At the Lord’s commands, Moses not only saw miracles, but he experienced them personally, even physically. The Lord turned Moses’ staff into a snake and then back into a staff. He turned Moses’ hand leprous and then healthy again.
Yet immediately after witnessing the mighty power of God and hearing God’s call upon his life, Moses points out his own limitations. This could seem somewhat endearing as Moses humbly and honestly acknowledges the immense tasks before him.
But, consider what just happened. God did the impossible. He turned an inanimate object into a living creature. He caused an incurable bacteria to appear and then disappear. God has dominion and power over all creation, from sticks and animals to bacteria and the health of our flesh. Rather than acknowledge with awe and wonder the power and works of the Lord, Moses focuses on his limitations and shortcomings.
Specifically, Moses points out his lack of eloquence. He knows the task God is calling him to will require a strong voice with skill of delivery to lead the Israelite multitude. It’s a big undertaking, even for a gifted leader and orator. Moses knows this.
Raised as the grandson of Pharaoh, he’s well acquainted with the power and influence of the Egyptian royal court. It’s historically vague whether Moses had a true speech impediment or a self-proclaimed lack of quick-wittedness when coming up against Pharaoh. Either way, Moses sees only his inability, not God’s miraculous abilities.
Furthermore, Moses brings up his limitations from the past and the present as evidence that he can’t do what God is commanding. It’s as if he’s saying to God, “I couldn’t speak well before you showed up, and I still can’t now.” Moses has witnessed God’s miracles, one after another, yet he seems to be claiming that nothing has changed.
Trusting God’s Provision
Moses is not alone. We are all like him. When faced with circumstances beyond our abilities, we question and doubt rather than trust the provision of God. We live in the midst of miracles everyday, existing amongst the extraordinary powers of God in the ordinary moments of life. Yet, we miss so much as we are hyper focused on our own lives and the fears that direct our minds.
Proverbs 9:10 that says, “the beginning of wisdom is to fear the LORD.” This has always baffled me. Fear for me has always had a very negative connotation. As a victim of childhood abuse, fear was my constant, uninvited companion. Sleepless nights, daily nightmares, social anxiety, and a desire to be invisible to others dictated my childhood and adolescence. As a result, I lived fearful in every area of my life. Fear of failure in school, of never getting married, of being attacked whenever alone, of abandonment from friends, of public shame, just to name a few.
But at thirteen, I accepted Jesus, and I loved Him from the moment I asked Him into my heart. I was all in. I was deeply passionate to obey Him and follow Him with all my heart. Loving Jesus was easy. Obeying Jesus was easy. But when I read that I needed to fear Him, I was confused. It took me years to understand what this verse really meant.
Fear is defined as an unpleasant emotion caused by the belief that someone or something is dangerous, likely to cause pain, or a threat. We have all experienced it and know the deep pain it causes. But the fear of the Lord is the exact opposite! It is a profound awe and awareness of God’s power, holiness, love, and justice. It’s a respect and reverence for the goodness of God and His gracious care for us finite beings.
God did these miracles in Moses’ life so that he could personally understand the power of God. The miracles were the pillars upon which Moses could place his faith while walking forward into a great unknown.
We can look at our circumstances and let fear and anxiety crush us, or we can look at the One who holds our circumstances. To fear the Lord is to be in awe of Him, trusting in His character, giving our lives to His care and control. It is the understanding that no matter what is ahead, God is Lord over ALL of it. And He can do immeasurably more than we could think or imagine. Let’s look at Him, not ourselves, and see what miracles await!
