The Daily Guide. grow. pray. study. from The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection in Leawood, Kansas, United States More excuses, same divine calling for Friday, 26 August 2016
Exodus 4:10 Moshe said to Adonai, “Oh, Adonai, I’m a terrible speaker. I always have been, and I’m no better now, even after you’ve spoken to your servant! My words come slowly, my tongue moves slowly.” 11 Adonai answered him, “Who gives a person a mouth? Who makes a person dumb or deaf, keen-sighted or blind? Isn’t it I, Adonai? 12 Now, therefore, go; and I will be with your mouth and will teach you what to say.”
13 But he replied, “Please, Lord, send someone else — anyone you want!” 14 At this, Adonai’s anger blazed up against Moshe; he said, “Don’t you have a brother, Aharon the Levi? I know that he’s a good speaker. In fact, here he is now, coming out to meet you; and he’ll be happy to see you. 15 You will speak to him and put the words in his mouth; and I will be with your mouth and his, teaching you both what to do. 16 Thus he will be your spokesman to the people, in effect; for you, he will be a mouth; and for him, you will be like God. 17 Now take this staff in your hand, because you need it to perform the signs.”
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Moses remembered well Pharaoh’s power and arrogance, and kept making excuses. In verse 13, he expressed a sort of “last resort” desperation: “Please, my LORD, just send someone else.” But God didn’t stop calling. When God said Moses’ brother Aaron was already on his way to meet Moses and help him, the chain of excuses finally came to an end.
Prayer: O God, Moses was a great man, yet throughout his story he had other people who helped and supported him. Help me to find the people I need to help me make of my life and service to you all that it can be. Amen.
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Insights from Darren Lippe
Darren Lippe helps facilitate Journey 101 “Loving God” classes, guides a 7th-grade Sunday school class, is a member of a small group & a men’s group, and serves on the Curriculum team.
In High School, I enjoyed participating in Lincoln-Douglas debates during Forensics season. This 1-on-1 style of debate emphasizes logic & reasoning over facts & figures. (Lincoln-Douglas debates are modeled after the 7 debates between Abraham Lincoln & Stephen Douglas in the 1858 Illinois U.S. Senate Election, which became noteworthy for its discussion of slavery.)
Aside: I always liked the story Lincoln shared debating a point of law: Can a Sheriff issue marriage licenses? Lincoln concluded it was not legal. When told, the Sheriff just laughed & said, “Shows what Lincoln knows. I’ve been doing it for years.”
In today’s passage we get a glimpse of a Lincoln-Douglas-style debate:
Resolved: Moses ought to substantially help God.
Affirmative: God.
Negative: Moses.
(Moses: Hey! Who’s your opponent this round? Enoch: Some guy from Sinai High School named Mordecai. You? God. Ouch. Good Luck.)
Moses opens with the contention that he is not a good public speaker. In a sympathy ploy to the judge, he adds that he isn’t even speaking well during this debate. (This is a dubious tactic, since the judge has undoubtedly observed that Moses couldn’t persuade a summer asphalt crew in Georgia to take free Popsicles.)
God counters with his “Wheelhouse Argument.” This is the response that you know was already drafted & fine-tuned that God hits out of the park: “Please. Who gave everyone the ability to speak? Me. So go.” Mic drop. We know this is God’s “Go-To Argument,” because He also cites it in His debate with Job (Job 38:1-38) – God probably uses it so often, He has it typed up & laminated.
This debate is over. The judge is already signing the ballot & putting it into the envelope. Moses’ final rebuttal doesn’t even use up all of his speaking time. He just lamely concludes, “Send someone else.”
In a shocking twist, though, God’s closing argument, which should have had everyone in tears as He draws on the expanse of the seas, the stars in the galaxy, & the beauty of Eden, extends an offer of mercy to Moses: Don’t do a 1-on-1 debate with Pharaoh. Try a traditional debate format with an accomplished speaker like Aaron to help you. I’ll even write your speeches.
Wow. So, what do we learn from this debate?
God is a good evaluator of talent. He knows you & me better than we know ourselves – so perhaps we should give Him the benefit of the doubt. God does listen – He won the debate hands down, yet still recognized Moses’ fears & sought to provide him comfort by providing an alternate solution. And finally, just know that God is going to play the “I am the Creator of the Universe & I Created You” card, so you’d better have a solid rebuttal drafted. If not, why not spare the paperwork, concede the debate already, & just answer His call?
(Moses: Hey Enoch! Have they posted my opponent for the next round? Yeah. Aaron. Sigh. It’s going to be a long tournament.)
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Join us for worship today - click here for information on worship times and locations. If you are not in the Kansas City area, you can take part in our worship via live Web stream at rezonline.org.
Download a printable version of this week's GPS.
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13 But he replied, “Please, Lord, send someone else — anyone you want!” 14 At this, Adonai’s anger blazed up against Moshe; he said, “Don’t you have a brother, Aharon the Levi? I know that he’s a good speaker. In fact, here he is now, coming out to meet you; and he’ll be happy to see you. 15 You will speak to him and put the words in his mouth; and I will be with your mouth and his, teaching you both what to do. 16 Thus he will be your spokesman to the people, in effect; for you, he will be a mouth; and for him, you will be like God. 17 Now take this staff in your hand, because you need it to perform the signs.”
-------
Moses remembered well Pharaoh’s power and arrogance, and kept making excuses. In verse 13, he expressed a sort of “last resort” desperation: “Please, my LORD, just send someone else.” But God didn’t stop calling. When God said Moses’ brother Aaron was already on his way to meet Moses and help him, the chain of excuses finally came to an end.
- Review in this week’s readings (Exodus 3:11 – 4:13) all of the reasons Moses offered for not doing what God was calling him to do. With how many, if any, of them do you resonate? The thing Moses didn’t do was walk away from the conversation. Are you willing to keep listening, and pushing back if you must, until God is able to use you in your home, workplace, neighborhood or somewhere else that you sense God calling you to?
- Most strengths come with some kind of trade-off, some area in which we are not as strong. Those who study and write about strengths note that seldom does anyone have all the abilities needed for important tasks. In what parts of life could you benefit from having an “Aaron”—one or more people whose gifts lie in areas where you are not as strong? How can you work with God to find those people?
Prayer: O God, Moses was a great man, yet throughout his story he had other people who helped and supported him. Help me to find the people I need to help me make of my life and service to you all that it can be. Amen.
-------
Insights from Darren Lippe
Darren Lippe helps facilitate Journey 101 “Loving God” classes, guides a 7th-grade Sunday school class, is a member of a small group & a men’s group, and serves on the Curriculum team.In High School, I enjoyed participating in Lincoln-Douglas debates during Forensics season. This 1-on-1 style of debate emphasizes logic & reasoning over facts & figures. (Lincoln-Douglas debates are modeled after the 7 debates between Abraham Lincoln & Stephen Douglas in the 1858 Illinois U.S. Senate Election, which became noteworthy for its discussion of slavery.)
Aside: I always liked the story Lincoln shared debating a point of law: Can a Sheriff issue marriage licenses? Lincoln concluded it was not legal. When told, the Sheriff just laughed & said, “Shows what Lincoln knows. I’ve been doing it for years.”
In today’s passage we get a glimpse of a Lincoln-Douglas-style debate:
Resolved: Moses ought to substantially help God.
Affirmative: God.
Negative: Moses.
(Moses: Hey! Who’s your opponent this round? Enoch: Some guy from Sinai High School named Mordecai. You? God. Ouch. Good Luck.)
Moses opens with the contention that he is not a good public speaker. In a sympathy ploy to the judge, he adds that he isn’t even speaking well during this debate. (This is a dubious tactic, since the judge has undoubtedly observed that Moses couldn’t persuade a summer asphalt crew in Georgia to take free Popsicles.)
God counters with his “Wheelhouse Argument.” This is the response that you know was already drafted & fine-tuned that God hits out of the park: “Please. Who gave everyone the ability to speak? Me. So go.” Mic drop. We know this is God’s “Go-To Argument,” because He also cites it in His debate with Job (Job 38:1-38) – God probably uses it so often, He has it typed up & laminated.
This debate is over. The judge is already signing the ballot & putting it into the envelope. Moses’ final rebuttal doesn’t even use up all of his speaking time. He just lamely concludes, “Send someone else.”
In a shocking twist, though, God’s closing argument, which should have had everyone in tears as He draws on the expanse of the seas, the stars in the galaxy, & the beauty of Eden, extends an offer of mercy to Moses: Don’t do a 1-on-1 debate with Pharaoh. Try a traditional debate format with an accomplished speaker like Aaron to help you. I’ll even write your speeches.
Wow. So, what do we learn from this debate?
God is a good evaluator of talent. He knows you & me better than we know ourselves – so perhaps we should give Him the benefit of the doubt. God does listen – He won the debate hands down, yet still recognized Moses’ fears & sought to provide him comfort by providing an alternate solution. And finally, just know that God is going to play the “I am the Creator of the Universe & I Created You” card, so you’d better have a solid rebuttal drafted. If not, why not spare the paperwork, concede the debate already, & just answer His call?
(Moses: Hey Enoch! Have they posted my opponent for the next round? Yeah. Aaron. Sigh. It’s going to be a long tournament.)
-------
Join us for worship today - click here for information on worship times and locations. If you are not in the Kansas City area, you can take part in our worship via live Web stream at rezonline.org.
Download a printable version of this week's GPS.
-------
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