Exodus 3:12
Moses asks God for help. These words, full of hope, came out of the mouth of holy God. God almighty made himself known to Moses through a burning bush. Moses was grazing the sheep and goats of his father-in-law Jethro. He saw an astonishing sight. The bush was burning but was not consumed. While he was carefully watching this incident, God spoke to him, “Remove your shoes, the ground where you are standing is holy ground.” God introduced himself. “I am the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.” God said,
Now therefore, behold, the cry of the children of Israel is come unto me: and I have also seen the oppression wherewith the Egyptians oppress them. Come now therefore, and I will send thee unto Pharaoh, that thou mayest bring forth my people the children of Israel out of Egypt. And Moses said unto God, Who amI, that I should go unto Pharaoh, and that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt? And he said, Certainly I will be with thee; and this shall be a token unto thee, that I have sent thee: When thou hast brought forth the people out of Egypt, ye shall serve God upon this mountain.
Exodus 3:9-12 KJV
God gave a promise to Moses which was full of hope: “certainly I will be with thee.”
There can be different thoughts on this statement:
It is possible that God made this promise because of Moses’ excuse.
Moses asks God for help. Moses said, “Who I am and what my position is?” In response to that God said, “Certainly I will be with thee.” Moses was not weak and inferior. Physically he was strong. That is why he assassinated an Egyptian without a weapon. Besides that, he lived for forty years in the wilderness grazing sheep and goats which was not an easy task. It was a very rough and tough job. Academically he spent forty years in the royal palace of Egypt. He got the best training and education of the Egyptian culture. He was fully aware of all the manners and etiquette of the Royal Palace. He was a prince because the Pharaoh’s daughter adopted him as her son. While he was in the palace, he enjoyed all the royal privileges.
The same dealt subtly with our kindred, and evil entreated our fathers, so that they cast out their young children, to the end they might not live.
Acts 7:19 KJV
In which time Moses was born, and was exceeding fair, and nourished up in his father’s house three months:
Acts 7:20 KJV
And when he was cast out, Pharaoh’s daughter took him up, and nourished him for her own son.
Acts 7:21 KJV
And Moses was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and was mighty in words and in deeds.
Acts 7:22 KJV
It is possible that Lord is asking you to do a great work and you are procrastinating, delaying, and saying, “Lord who am I? What is my position? Lord, send someone else on my behalf. Lord, give me some easier task. I will do that task. Oh Lord! This task is beyond my strength. It is out of my caliber. Oh Lord, I am not free at the moment. I have a family. I have so many reponsibilities. I have to help my children in their education. I have to marry them etc.” But besides all these reasons and excuses the Lord makes the same promise with his people, the one he made with his servant Moses, “Certainly I will be with thee.”
You can put your name in the blank space and read it:
God said to ______, certainly I will be with _.
Maybe Moses thought he was not capable of doing this task.
Moses asks God for help. In this case a picture comes to mind that Moses thinks he is incapable for this great task. This excuse has a positive aspect; although Moses had so many good qualities he still thinks that he does not qualify for the assignment. A good spiritual leader looks at himself in the same manner. On the other hand, some self-made leaders think that they are suitable and capable of doing everything. They by themselves say that, “I am a leader. They ask others to “follow me.”
Here God is entrusting Moses with the responsibility of leadership. Leadership is not a position but it is a responsibility. Moses says, “I am not worthy of it. What is my position or status… who am I?” God is always looking for such people, those who do not have the desire to come forward or lead others but God and the people of God ask them to lead others. Are you a self-made leader? Do you think that you are the most suitable person for every type of ministry? Do you think, “Without me all the work of the Lord would stop? I have carried all the work of the ministry on my shoulders.” This is the moment to think it over. Moses is such a great leader and yet he thinks that he is not suitable for this great leadership. God said to Moses, “Certainly I will be with thee,” …because I know your weaknesses and shortcomings.
(a) I know your weakness and shortcomings.
Moses asks God for help. God is creator and Moses is creature. That is why God is well aware of his strengths and weaknesses. As a human being certainly there would be several weaknesses in Moses, just as there are with you and me. God knows all our weaknesses and shortcomings. We are like an open book before him. What can we hide about ourselves from him? He is our creator. He knows our thoughts, intentions, attitudes—our inner being.
Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off.
Psalm 139:2 KJV
We hide things from others but God knows everything. We hide our weaknesses from ourselves but when we carefully examine them then shame and humiliation laugh at us. To avoid these weaknesses we try to hide those defects. Thank God that the Lord Jesus Christ loves us. He is well aware of our shortcomings. It is very important that we commit ourselves unto him voluntarily and joyfully. Then he will use us, along with our shortcomings.
(b) I will use you along with your weakness and shortcomings.
God has the power to do everything. God wanted to use him with great power along with his weaknesses. God wanted him the way he was and whatever his condition. God wanted to take him in his hands and wanted to mold him according to his plan and use him for his glory. When Moses totally surrendered himself unto the Lord’s hands, the rest of the work the Lord did by himself. God also wants to use you along with your weaknesses. You are a human being and He fully understands you. Moses asks God for help.
Your weaknesses and failures are never hidden from him. The need is that we must surrender ourselves unto his hands then we will see how with his great power he brings water for us out of the rock. He has the power to pave ways for us in the sea. There is only this need to say, “Here I am, oh Lord”.
Speak; for thy servant heareth.
1Samuel 3:10 KJV
Saint Paul writes,
And he said unto me, ‘My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness’. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
2 Corinthians 12:9 KJV
The Lord has great power. He takes us along with our weaknesses then he manifests his power through our weaknesses. I know your weaknesses, failures, shortcomings. But besides all this, “Certainly I will be with thee.” If he knows our weaknesses and still he uses us along with our weaknesses then certainly he has the power to remove or take away our weaknesses.
(c) I will take away your weaknesses and shortcomings.
Certainly I will be with thee. Not only I know your weaknesses and shortcomings but I have the authority and power to take away your weaknesses and shortcomings. How wonderful is our Lord. He knows our shortcomings but still he loves us through his son our Lord Jesus Christ. This is the God who is the creator, owner, and Master of this whole universe. In this universe there are trillions of planets and our planet earth is just like a grain of sand; perhaps our earth is even smaller, yet there are more than six billion people living on the face of this earth.
Out of all these people God still knows and loves you personally. He knows your weakness, he uses you in spite of your shortcomings and he has the full power to remove or take away your weakness. You only need to give yourself into his hands. The shapeless clay when it gives itself into the hands of the master potter can be made into a beautiful and useful pot according to his design. He says, “I not only know your weakness, I use you in spite of your weakness and I take them away, but at the same time whichever talents and gift you may need, I will provide these for you.”
(d) The talents and gifts which you would need, I will provide for you.
Our Lord is Jehovah jireh.
Genesis 22:14 KJV
He is the providing God. He meets all our need through the abundance of his grace. Whatever the qualities, talents, and gifts Moses needed, God provided those with the passage of time. Moses could fully concentrate on the purpose and mission which God entrusted unto him and he could follow the God-given commandments. According to our needs God bestows his gifts upon us so that His work can move forward.
Application:
God is the same today. As Christians we go through certain tough circumstances.
Remember;
God is the same.
The promise is the same.
People and the circumstances are the same.
Human, physical, mental, and spiritual needs are the same.
As a Christian do you think that God has made this promise?
Certainly I will be with thee.
This promise is for you.
This promise is real.
This promise is forever.
This promise is personal.
Are you playing with God? Are you procrastinating with God? Do you think that the specific task which God has entrusted to you, you are unable to perform? Then you must let God know your shortcomings. He already knows your shortcomings. He has the power to use you in spite of your weaknesses and shortcomings. He has the perfect ability to take away your shortcomings. The abilities, the gifts, and the talents which you will need he will provide in due time. Have full and total faith in his promise.
“Certainly I will be with thee.”
