July 3, 2026
Friday, July 3
Midway through Exodus 4, Moses is running out of rational excuses. He starts to get desperate:
10 But Moses said to the Lord, “Oh, my Lord, I am not eloquent, either in the past or since you have spoken to your servant, but I am slow of speech and of tongue.” 11 Then the Lord said to him, “Who has made man's mouth? Who makes him mute, or deaf, or seeing, or blind? Is it not I, the Lord? 12 Now therefore go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall speak.”
Moses’ Fourth Objection: I can’t speak well
Many surveys have shown that the most common fear (afflicting up to 75% of the population) is fear of speaking in public. In polls, it rates higher even than fear of death. As Jerry Seinfeld has pointed out, this means that if you go to a funeral, you would rather be in the coffin than be delivering the eulogy!
As someone who speaks publicly for a living, I can testify that it’s not scary at all…once you get used to it. But I would have been terrified to confront Pharaoh, as Moses was called to do. This was a man who could have anyone eliminated with the snap of his fingers, after all. And what if Moses’ efforts made things worse, not better, for the Israelites? (Actually, that’s what happened in the short term). I can’t blame Moses for his anxiety.
Some have concluded that Moses had a speech impediment (the term he uses is literally “heavy of tongue”). But when Stephen told the story of Moses in Acts 7, inspired by the Holy Spirit, he called Moses “powerful in speech.” I think what Moses was saying was, “The Egyptians are smart people, Lord. I’m just a dumb old shepherd. They’ll talk circles around me, I’ll look like an idiot, and nothing will get accomplished.”
Doesn’t this sound a lot like us when we have an opportunity to share the gospel? “I don’t know how to explain anything.” “I don’t even know the Bible like I should.” “They’ll probably ask questions that I can’t answer.” “What if I say the wrong thing?” “I’ll wait until someone better qualified comes along.”
God’s answer is a series of questions: “Who made your mouth in the first place? Do you think I didn’t know what kind of speaker you were? Am I not able to put words in your mouth?” He gives the same promise He gave Abraham, and the same promise He will give Joshua after Moses is gone: “I will be with you.” That should be enough for us. Always.
“Lord, you have called me to share the good news with others. I am ashamed to say that I share my opinions about all sorts of things, but I clam up when and opportunity comes to speak a word for you. I know you are with me, and you’ll give me the words to say. I ask that you give me boldness to speak. In your holy name, amen.”
Senior Pastor
First Baptist Conroe
More from Pastor Jeff at his website: jeffbergerwriting.com
