God will help us speak

Week 32

When Moses was called by God to go to Pharaoh and ask him to set the Israelites free, he didn’t think he was the one God should send. He questioned God in Exodus 4:10-12. Moses said to the Lord, “I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since you have spoken to your servant. I am slow of speech and tongue.” The Lord said to him, “Who gave man his mouth? Who makes him deaf or mute? Who gives him sight or makes him blind? Is it not I, the Lord? Now go; I will help you speak and will teach you what to say.”

If God is the same today that he was then, why do we refuse to obey when he asks us to speak on his behalf today? Have you ever heard the Lord speak to you and tell you to speak to someone? To offer a word of encouragement, to offer sympathy or help, to ask for help yourself? God doesn’t always expect us to preach or teach when he asks us to speak in his behalf. Sometimes it is very ordinary, everyday things that he wants us to talk to someone about.

God was stressing to Moses that he knew everything about him and he knew his disabilities. It didn’t seem to matter to the Lord that Moses had a speech impediment. God didn’t worry that he was sending someone who didn’t have a great vocabulary or someone who could argue a good case. God knew Moses’ heart, he knew that he loved the Hebrew people and wanted to see them released from captivity. God knew that he was sending the right man for the job. 

He does the same thing with each one of us. I remember one day praying for someone on the prayer chain from church. There was a lady in the hospital in the town where I work. I had never met her and I didn’t know anything about her, but God put her in my heart that day and told me to go visit her on my lunch hour and pray with her. We had a mutual friend in common and I told her that her friend had put her on the prayer chain at our church. I let her know that I had been praying for her and that I just wanted to come and let her know that God loved her. We chatted a few minutes and I asked her if I could pray for her before I left. She agreed, we held hands and I prayed for healing for her. I have never seen her since and I really don’t know how she is doing today, but I do know that God used me that day. He must have had a message for her and he used me to give it to her. He gave me an instructed tongue.

Sometimes God uses people in a big way with a great message. He did that with Jeremiah and Isaiah. But most of the time he uses ordinary people with simple messages of love for his children. 

How many times has God put someone in your heart to write a note of encouragement to? Has he ever asked you to send a sympathy card to someone and let them know that they are not alone? Have you ever taken a casserole or loaf of bread to someone who needs to know that God loves them? How did you know what to say to them? Didn’t the Lord give you the right words to comfort and lift up? These are simple acts of kindness and love, but they are the things that people will remember for eternity. 

Now think back to a time when you were the recipient of one of those acts of kindness. I remember coming home from a frightening day in the hospital when I wasn’t sure if my condition was serious and having a lady from the church drop by with meals for two days. That same night, a friend stopped in with Christian teaching tapes on healing. She told me to keep them for as long as I needed. I will always remember those acts of kindness and concern.

When we speak God’s words of healing and comfort to one another, when we obey God and call, write or visit a brother or sister in Christ, we are being Jesus to someone who really needs to see Jesus at a moment of crisis. That is God reaching out to someone who needs him. 

Many times God speaks to us through the scripture. Sometimes he is the still small voice within us. But sometimes he has to become like us - with a compassionate heart and just be “Jesus with skin on” to a person with a deep need.

There are other times when the Lord will use us to teach someone. He will impart knowledge to us through his Word and we are instructed to share that knowledge with others. “All scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” 2 Timothy 3:16-17.

Once again we find out that there are differing degrees of teaching. Some are instructed to speak to large gatherings and share the deep things of God with multitudes of people. Others are asked to share a specific thought with someone who may need to hear that word on a particular day. 

Whenever Christians meet and discuss the Word of God, it is inevitible that they share some tidbit of truth that God has given them. Some of the most important teaching that I have ever received was during a time of sharing in a small group setting. Wherever true disciples of Christ are gathered, the Holy Spirit will guide the conversation toward Christ and his teachings. 

God uses people to share his Word with one another and often times with those who do not know his Word. The Holy Spirit is a wonderful source of information when called upon to help believers share their faith with unbelievers. Many times we, as believers, are asked questions that even theologians couldn’t answer. 

I had a boss who loved to argue about everything. One afternoon we were talking about the Bible and he argued that the Bible was just a book written by men. I knew I had to respond, but I, like Moses, am not eloquent. I also knew that this could just lead to an argument and I knew that I couldn’t win an arguement with my boss. I quickly asked the Holy Spirit to give me an instructed tongue. My response to him was that the Bible was written by men who were inspired and instructed by the Holy Spirit of God. His answer was, "well, that makes a big difference."

The Holy Spirit will give us guidance when we stand before officials and leaders to speak on behalf of God. Jesus told his followers that they could expect to be arrested because of their beliefs, “But when they arrest you, do not worry about what to say to how to say it. At that time you will be given what to say, for it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.” Matthew 10:19-20.

God wants us to learn to be receptive to his voice. He wants us to be obedient and speak his words to others. He may be training us for a time when we will stand before kings and governors and will have to rely on him to speak words of healing and grace to them. There may be a day when he will want to put prophetic words in our mouths to share with the people of the world. The Lord told Jeremiah, “Now I have put my words in your mouth. See today I appoint you over nations and kingdoms to uproot and tear down, to destroy and overthrow, to build and to plant.” Jeremiah 1:9-10.

God is looking for people that he can use to minister to the world. He may need someone for a small task or an enormous one, but he is still in the business of using people to speak to other people. He is still counting on believers, filled with his Holy Spirit, to speak blessing and life into the lives of people everywhere. Has he asked you to speak to someone recently? If so then praise him and thank him for counting you worthy. If not, then ask him to use you today. And don’t be surprised when he does!

Heavenly Father,

You are the God who is still the same today as the day that you spoke to Moses. You continue to use people to speak your Words of love and compassion to those in need. How amazing that you, the God who created the universe would speak through us, your creation. How awesome to think that you want to speak blessing and love to people on the earth today. Thank you for speaking to us and through us. Thank you for using even us to meet the needs of those you love. May we honor you with our lips and may we speak only your words to those around us. Be glorified in us today, in Jesus name. Amen.