"Willing and Able" by Pastor David Guzik

WILLING AND ABLE -  by Pastor David Guzik

"Now therefore, go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall say." But he said, "O my Lord, please send by the hand of whomever else You may send." So the anger of the Lord was kindled against Moses. (Exodus 4:12-14)

God had a job for Moses to do. Forty years earlier Moses would have jumped at the chance, but after spending forty years herding sheep in the desert he was hesitant.

Because God wanted Moses to do the job, He gave Moses assurance after assurance. He gave Moses the sign of the burning bush. He allowed Moses to hear the divine voice. He gave Moses the divine name. He gave Moses three miraculous signs. It still wasn't enough. Finally, God gave Moses a command: "Now therefore, go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall say."

Moses finally finished with all the excuses and he reluctantly spoke the truth: he would much rather that God send someone else. Despite all his excuses, Moses' problem wasn't really a lack of  ability; it was a lack of willingness.

God reacted: "So the anger of the LORD was kindled against Moses."

- God was not angry when Moses asked, "Who am I?" (Exodus 3:11)
- God was not angry when Moses asked, "Who should I say sent me?" (Exodus 3:13)
- God was not angry when Moses refused to believe God's Word and said, "suppose they will not believe me or listen to my voice" (Exodus 4:1)
- God was not even angry when Moses (falsely) claimed that he was not and had never been eloquent (Exodus 4:10)

But God was angry when Moses was just plain unwilling.

There might have been a hundred reasons why Moses was unwilling, and perhaps some of those reasons made some sense. Yet at the end of it all, Moses was unwilling, not unable.

More than anything, God wants us to be willing. Willing to do what He tells us to do. Willing to serve Him. Willing to listen. God regards your willingness as a serious matter. Do you?


By David Guzik

David is the pastor of Calvary Chapel Santa Barbara:
www.calvarychapelsb.com and teaches at Generation Bible
College:
www.generationbiblecollege.com

For Bible Study resources by David Guzik, go to:
www.enduringword.com/library_commentaries.htm

For David Guzik podcast or rss audio feed, find the link at
www.enduringword.com.