"And I will harden Pharaoh's heart......" (Exodus 7:3)
When Moses received his mission to lead the Israelites out of Egypt, he had been in the desert for 40 years. He couldn't think clearly and couldn't talk properly. He said,"O 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......please send someone else to do it." (Exodus 4:10-13)
Do you ever feel like Moses when you felt called into a certain area by God? You're completely uneducated and unequipped in this area plus you have been in the desert for so many years, you don't even know if the Lord still wants to use you.
And maybe, finally you decide you'll obey this calling, and step out in faith, and you pray, "OK, Lord, if this is you, I'll do it. But give me all the gifts that I need, annoint me for the job, and give me grace and favour before the people that I need to speak to, so that they will listen to my words and be convinced... overall, just make it an easy job for me."
Moses must have prayed the same prayer, I guess, to let Pharaoh listen to him.
But God said,"But I will harden Pharaoh's heart, and though I multiply my miraculous signs and wonders in Egypt, he will not listen to you. Then I will lay my hands on Egypt and with mighty acts of judgment I will bring out my divisions, my people the Israelites. And the Egyptians will know that I am the Lord when I stretch out my hand against Egypt and bring the Israelites out of it."
It was hard enough as it is, and when God made it hard, it WAS tough. It was impossible for a human Moses to do the job. But over the centuries people remember that famous Exodus was led by the hand of God.
So my dear friends, if you feel that you're in the similar situation like Moses, that everything seem to work against you, no matter how hard you've tried you are getting nowhere, and you know that God has called you into this, don't lose heart! As God is going to do the job HIMSELF!
Monday, October 13, 2003
