Today’s Devotion
Topic: Excuses To The Call (Part 1)
Self Assessment
Background: Many of us usually have a lot of excuses for the Word, call or command of God. We always have something else in mind that seems more plausible than what He wants us to do so we struggle with Him to let things go our way. This is not peculiar to us, anyway. Several great men in the Bible did same.
After God had called Moses and commissioned him to go to Egypt, the man Moses had some few stubborn excuses for God. Let us have a critical study into that encounter, observing how God responded to all the excuses so that we may learn how to yield entirely to God when He calls.
Text: Exodus 4: 1- 9
1 Moses answered, “What if they do not believe me or listen to me and say, ‘The Lord did not appear to you’?” 2 Then the Lord said to him, “What is that in your hand?” “A staff,” he replied. 3 The Lord said, “Throw it on the ground.” Moses threw it on the ground and it became a snake, and he ran from it. 4 Then the Lord said to him, “Reach out your hand and take it by the tail.” So Moses reached out and took hold of the snake and it turned back into a staff in his hand. 5 “This,” said the Lord, “is so that they may believe that the Lord, the God of their fathers—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob—has appeared to you.”
6 Then the Lord said, “Put your hand inside your cloak.” So Moses put his hand into his cloak, and when he took it out, the skin was leprous—it had become as white as snow. 7 “Now put it back into your cloak,” He said. So Moses put his hand back into his cloak, and when he took it out, it was restored, like the rest of his flesh. 8 Then the Lord said, “If they do not believe you or pay attention to the first sign, they may believe the second. 9 But if they do not believe these two signs or listen to you, take some water from the Nile and pour it on the dry ground. The water you take from the river will become blood on the ground.” AMEN
Questions:
1. Generally speaking, why do you think the call/ instruction of God unto a specific task or assignment often meets the resistance of the very people He has specially selected for those assignments? Think about Moses, Jeremiah, Gideon, Saul, etc.
2. What was Moses’ first excuse and how legitimate was it? (vrs 1)
3. How did the Lord solve that problem or doubtful thought Moses had? (vrs 2-8)
4. The Lord asked Moses in vrs 2, “What is that in your hand?”. What’s the significance of that to all of us (Christians) who will be called or instructed by our Lord to do something specific, anytime He will require according to His good pleasure?
5. What is the link between verse 9 and the 10 plagues that later happened to Egypt because Pharaoh wouldn’t let Israel go?
6. Does it mean that God already had a plan ‘C’, ‘D’ to ‘Z’ figured out in case Pharaoh proved stubborn? What assurance should that give us, especially when it comes to allaying our fears and doubts about the things God wants us to do?
Next week Saturday, we will continue our study from where we ended today (i.e. EXODUS 4: 10- 17). Kindly read and meditate ahead for a more fruitful discussion. God bless you.
NB: 29days To 4JBAND’s Harel Concert. Prince of Peace Presby (Atomic Down, Behind ECG) 2pm sharp! Be there!
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