Exodus 4: God's patience with a reluctant servant (Day 52)

Pray

Lord, prepare me to receive your word. Clear my mind and warm my heart. Assure me of your loving purposes for me, and speak into my life today.

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Exodus 4 Luke 7 Job 21 1 Corinthians 8

Daily reflection: Exodus 4

There are some oddities in this chapter, even apart from the strange miracles performed by God to equip Moses for his task. Why does God deliberately make Pharaoh ‘stubborn’, instead of softening his heart? (verse 23). Why would God try to kill Moses? (verse 24). What's going on with his wife Zipporah circumcising their son? (verses 25–26).

We can probably find answers to questions like these in Bible commentaries, and all Bible knowledge is useful to some extent. Sometimes, though, we can get sidetracked from larger life lessons, and it's best to lay questions gently aside for a while.

The main theme of this chapter is God's call of Moses, and Moses' extreme hesitation about the whole business because he isn't a fluent speaker. God appears to him in a fire; he proves his power by working miracles; but Moses remains reluctant (verse 13). God's anger with him is understandable. Rather than overruling him, though, he chooses to work with the grain of Moses' character, appointing Aaron as his spokesman. Yes, Moses demonstrates a lack of faith; but God works with him, giving him what he needs to accomplish his mission.

At one level, it's as though God is showing himself to be a good people manager, bringing Moses along in his career step by step. But he is also showing something of his heart: yes, he is ‘a jealous God’ (Exodus 20.5), but we're told he is also ‘good to us and forgiving, full of constant love for all who pray to [him]’ (Psalm 86.5).

Pray

God, thank you for being patient with me even when I don't deserve it. Help me to trust you more, and to believe that ‘I have the strength to face all conditions by the power that Christ gives me’ (Philippians 4.13).