2. Strength in Your Calling

Then Moses said to the Lord, “Please, Lord, I have never been eloquent, neither recently nor in time past, nor since You have spoken to Your servant; for I am slow of speech and slow of tongue.” But the Lord said to him, “Who has made the human mouth? Or who makes anyone unable to speak or deaf, or able to see or blind? Is it not I, the Lord? Now then go, and I Myself will be with your mouth, and instruct you in what you are to say.” -Exodus 4:10-12

So much in life is a measure of our abilities. Do you know enough to get the passing grade on the test? Are you qualified enough to get accepted to the organization? Do you have enough experience to get the job? Are you cool enough to fit in?

In light of this reality, what Exodus teaches us about our callings is extremely freeing. God has called us to make disciples by reflecting Christ and his love to the world in the spheres he has placed us. The truth of Exodus proclaims that we are never disqualified from God’s calling because of our personal limitations! Instead, we are equipped to depend on God to receive strength.

In Exodus, God called Moses to lead the Israelite people out of their bondage in Egypt. Moses, however, does not feel confident to do so. He is worried that his inability to communicate well will prevent him from being a good leader. God responds to Moses’s worry, “I know your limitations. I’m the one who made you!”

God is communicating that there is no weakness Moses could bring up that might catch God off guard or cause him to move on from Moses. No issue with Moses’s speaking ability could ever get in the way of God’s plan.

God then says, “I will be with your mouth and teach you what you are to say.” The success of the mission is not going to be determined by Moses’s personal gifts but by God’s power.

Haven’t we all felt like Moses in this situation? We don’t think we’re strong enough, smart enough or special enough to do what God has called us to. We get consumed with our weaknesses. We get hung up on our limitations. We tell God we’re not enough. We think maybe he chose the wrong person for the task. But God is greater than our limitations! God steps in where we are lacking.

Our limitations should lead us to God and his power, and there is a reason we can trust God to come through. God the Son came down from heaven and made himself weak and dependent: he took on all the limitations and weaknesses that come with being human. Though he had superior strength, Jesus allowed Roman soldiers to nail him to a cross. He surrendered his power to the point of death so that he could give his power to those who believe in and are united to him. This God loved you so much that he made himself weak so that you could be strong. Depend on him for strength to carry out your calling. Trust him. He will come through.