The Broken Vessel

The Israelites were desperate for deliverance. Exodus 2:23  tells us they were groaning for it. Crying out in prayer. The Egyptians were unrelenting slave masters.

In verse 24 it says God heard their groaning. God saw and remembered His promise. He knew. And He had just the person to lead them out. 

This man He picked? A fugitive. A murderer. But also familiar with the Egyptian royal courts. Adopted by a princess. Now fallen out of favor and a obscure shepherd on the far side of the desert. 

This was the man handpicked by God Almighty to save His people? When encountered by God at the burning bush, Moses didn’t even want the job. He argued with God. He cringed in doubt and fear. 

But he humbled himself and God used him powerfully. He was the answer for the Israelites. 

Moses has always been one of my favorite people in the Bible. I guess because I’ve struggled much the same way. We tend to think of Moses as this self-confident, fearless and assertive guy. But you know, when you read Exodus chapters 3-4 you may think otherwise. 

He spends all of chapter 3 and part of 4 arguing with God about why he can’t do it. In fact he says, “I’m not eloquent, either in the past or since you have spoken to me, but I am slow of speech and of tongue.” Finally he even says, Oh, my Lord please send someone else.” 

Yea, I see myself here. The Word once again is a mirror, shining it’s light into my heart. 

The Word tells me that I am a Temple of the Lord walking around. He lives in me by His Spirit. But yet there seems to be a paradox sometimes. I am weak and insecure at times, I certainly am “slow of speech” too. Doubts can flare up. I feel rather inadequate. 

Why me Lord? Why did You choose me? 

I don’t have the answer for that. But like Moses, I just have to give myself, flaws and all, and know He is enough. He is powerful enough to shine through my weaknesses, my brokenness. Hopefully you will see more of Him, less of me. See His beauty outshine my flaws. 

The bottom line is that He came for broken people. The ones crying out for freedom and deliverance. He hears the groaning of your heart. And He hears. He cares. 

And so it was with me, brothers and sisters. When I came to you, I did not come with eloquence or human wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God. For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. I came to you in weakness with great fear and trembling. My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, so that your faith might not rest on human wisdom, but on God’s power. 1 Corinthians 2:1-5