Exodus 4, Luke 1

Friday, February 8, 2008 - Brandon Hatmaker

"Can't you send someone else, God? I bet Mary had that thought a time or two."

(Exodus 4)

If ever it’s easy to relate with Moses, it’s in Exodus 4. In verse 13 after God has called him out, Moses has made every excuse in the book, God responded with nothing but amazing promises and then at the end of his rope… “But Moses said, "O Lord, please send someone else to do it."

God’s immediate response was interesting. Although he burned with anger against Moses for his lack of faith, immediately he offered him help through his brother.

“Then the LORD's anger burned against Moses and he said, "What about your brother, Aaron the Levite? I know he can speak well. He is already on his way to meet you, and his heart will be glad when he sees you. You shall speak to him and put words in his mouth; I will help both of you speak and will teach you what to do. He will speak to the people for you, and it will be as if he were your mouth and as if you were God to him. But take this staff in your hand so you can perform miraculous signs with it."

Can you imagine how much better Moses felt after knowing he didn’t have to go at it alone. God knows this. That is why he allowed for help.

There are two quick lessons that come to mind. First, that we should truly be thankful for others in our lives that God has given to sharpen us, encourage us, share our burdens, and love on us. Second, how sad it is that when it’s just God and us, how we sometimes can still feel alone. But, God knows what’s going on there. That’s one of the reasons God gave Eve to Adam. But we shouldn’t think of it as dumb luck. We shouldn’t take each other for granted. You never know how long they’ll be around. God sees us in our need, and he provides helpers. Let’s see it for what it is. It is not always the other guy that benefits from us. Hopefully we do not miss our benefit from them. Even as Jacob left Laban in Genesis 30, it’s easy to see that the one who gained the most from Jacob’s service was Laban.

Lord, thank you for those you have given us, who shoulder life with us. May we see them and treat them as a gift.

(Luke 1)

What an amazing story. I’ve never quite caught the significance of what was going on in verses 39-45.

“At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea, where she entered Zechariah's home and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. In a loud voice she exclaimed: "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. Blessed is she who has believed that what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished!"

This is such an amazing passage. Elizabeth’s baby, who was John the Baptist, leaped when he heard the voice of Mary, mother of Jesus. The Spirit fell on Elizabeth, and she was given the knowledge that Mary was carrying the coming King.

Can you imagine watching these boys grow up? Can you imagine the anticipation, the fear, the magnitude of the task of raising such a child? What an amazing calling these women had. And they were faithful to their calling. These two women, who although were both reported as being women who were “upright in the sight of the Lord”, had gone through such tough times in life (Elizabeth who in verse 25 had reported that she had lived in disgrace before the people and Mary who bore much pain for her pregnancy out of wedlock) yet they remained faithful to the end.

What an encouragement.