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Exodus 4:10; 6:12,30 – Praying through the Bible #25 – A Prayer of Excuses
There are excuses, and there are reasons. Can a reason turn into an excuse? Can the reasonable become replaceable with faith, by Spirit given gifts? Going down to Egypt, every thought and word of Moses expresses hesitancy, inadequacy, and stubbornness (4.1-11); accompanied by grace-placated submission (Ex 4.14-17). After the mission successfully “fails” (4.21), Moses blames his performance, his talents, himself (6.12,30).
Look at Moses’ praying “excuse” or “reason” for not serving: “slow of speech,” “I can never think what I want to say,” “hesitant in speech,” “heavy of mouth,” “heavy of tongue” (4.10); “uncircumcised lips,” “speak with difficulty,” “poor speaker,” “lips are unclean,” “unskilled in speech” (6.12,30). Colloquially, “I am not a good (public) speaker;” “I can’t think on my feet.” Three times Moses expresses these same self-doubts, possibly providing an honest appraisal. So was there a real speech problem?
Like all Bible heroes, little is known about Moses personally. It’s as if all that matters is what matters to God’s purposes. That’s putting things into humbling perspective, isn’t it?
“One traditional story tells that when he was a child, sitting on Pharaoh’s knee, Moses took the crown off of Pharaoh’s head and put it on. The court magicians took this as a bad sign and demanded that he be tested: they put a brazier full of gold and a brazier full of hot coals before him to see which he would take. If Moses took the gold, he would have to be killed. An angel guided Moses’ hand to the coal, and he put it into his mouth, leaving him with a life-long speech impediment (Ex. 4.10).” (http://www.jewfaq.org/moshe.htm)
If true, speaking plainly, Moses proved himself too stupid to be a royal threat. A wide gamut of rabbinical interpretations interpret “heavy of mouth,” “heavy of tongue” (4.10), and “uncircumcised lips” (6.12,30). Did Moses stutter, lisp, have a physical deformity, glossophobia, or forget the Egyptian language after 40 years in Midian’ exile? Could “uncircumcised lips” apply to Moses feeling like an outsider to his own people, unqualified by his past life to lead? No doubt feelings shared by many.
It doesn’t matter, and here’s why. Success does not come through Moses. How many preachers focus on their “failures:” verbal mistakes, forgot information, ill-fitting quote, prideful humor, and on. God does not succeed because of “me,” but despite “me.” “I did not come with brilliant of speech or wisdom. For I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified” (1 Cor 2.1-2).
Prayer Challenge: If we think this is just about leaders, elders, preachers, we are missing the personal applications to ourselves only we can make. Prayerfully check our excuses and double check our reasons. Are we expecting to succeed because of our talents, our performances, ourselves? That is not God’s way.
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