Nobody's Listening!

Then Moses said,

"What if they will not believe me

or listen to what I say?

For they may say,

'The LORD has not appeared to you.'"  

Exodus 4:1

How many times have you made this argument before God? "God, what if they laugh in my face? What if they think I'm crazy? What if they get angry? God, what is the point nobody is going to listen?"

Moses asks this question before God and this question comes right after God has told him in Exodus 3:18, "They will pay heed to what you say." This word "heed" is shama in Hebrew, and it means to hear intelligently with attention and obedience. God had already told Moses that they would listen. Oh precious one, our God is patient with us and he has an answer for our what if's.

God responds to Moses and asks "What is that in your hand?" (Exodus 4:2). God did not ask Moses to acquire some new resource. God used what Moses had in his hand when He called him. God meets us where we are and then He does His wonders.

God took the staff in Moses hand and turned it into a serpent before his eyes and then restored it to the staff. God took the hand of Moses and turned it leprous before his eyes and then restored it. These where two signs that God gave to Moses. They were simple yet powerful. God then gave Moses a third sign that He was to use if the children of Israel still did not believe. Moses took water from the Nile and poured it on the dry ground and God turned the water into blood.

As we read through the Scriptures we see over and over again how God does the most amazing things with very ordinary things. David slew a giant with a stone and slingshot (1 Samuel 17:50). Samson killed a thousand men with the jawbone of a donkey (Judges 15:15). Elisha split the waters of the Jordan with a cloak (2 King 2:14). God tells us in Zechariah 4:6 that it is not by might nor by power, but by His Spirit that mountains are changed into plains.

My friend, God loves taking the simple and the foolish and using it to confound those who think they are so strong and wise. Our victory in God's call on our life is not according to our own natural ability. It is according to our faith in the supernatural ability of our God. 

It's interesting to me that God gives Moses three signs. In Hebrews 2:4 we read that God testifies with those who are his "by signs and wonders and by various miracles." God gave Moses a sign, a miracle, and a wonder to show to the Israelites that He did indeed come with a message from the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

I also find God's words to Moses in Exodus 4:8 very interesting. God tells Moses "If they will not believe you or heed the witness of the first sign, they may believe the witness of the last sign." Oh precious one, did you catch that, "they may believe". God never guarantees us that everyone that He sends us to will believe. Their belief has nothing to do with our obedience.

So don't let a handful of anger be held in your chest or keep stress in your head... because whatever pain you feel in your heart from the lack of listening from those you are trying to reach will not be in vain. You do have something to gain... you have everything to gain and absolutely nothing to fear. You have an example to follow, His name is Jesus.

Jesus came to this world and He performed signs and wonders and various miracles and yet so many still refused to believe. Romans 3:3 asks us "What then? If some did not believe, their unbelief will not nullify the faithfulness of God, will it?" Jesus did not turn away from His call or His mission simply because there were those who would not believe or listen to what He had to say. Our faithfulness to God should never be determined by the actions of others.

Oh Father,

How thankful I am that the unbelief of others did not stop the one who shared Your truth with me. I know that on this earth there will always be those who mock Your Word and refuse to believe, but they shall not stop my obedience to what I know You have called me to do. Your faithfulness is not nullified by unbelief and so neither shall mine be. Even if they will not believe. Even if they will not listen, I will stand firm. Father, help me to stand firm. Help me to be strong in my faith and steady in my walk, with my face set like flint and my eyes set on Christ.

My Jesus it is in Your name I pray,

Amen