“Equipping the Called”

But Moses Said, “Pardon your servant, Lord. Please send someone else.” Exodus 4:13

Have you ever found yourself fearing to do something because you didn’t feel qualified? This is exactly how Moses felt in this passage of scripture. He felt that the task that God was asking him to do was too great for him to handle, so he pleaded with God to send someone else. God responded to Moses with these questions: (1) Who gave human beings their mouths? (2) Who makes them deaf or mute? (3) Who gives them sight or makes them blind? (4) Is it not I, the Lord? Then He tells Moses to go and that He will help him speak and will teach him what to say.

When I was at Lowes Chapel, George Baker and I often tagged team in the pulpit – especially on Laity Day. George was an excellent speaker. He spoke with clarity; he was very animated and funny and he was very comfortable speaking before audiences. I, on the other hand, was a stutterer like Moses. I also talked real fast often not completing my sentences; therefore, when God called me to preach, I went into a panic mode. Like Moses, I began to tell God why I should not be the one to preach. I listed all of my shortcomings. I told God that He needed to call George and I explained to Him the reason I thought this, but God took me to this passage of scripture and He assured me that He knew what He was doing. He promised to equip me with whatever I needed to carry out the task set before me.

He began by teaching me to write. Before He called me to preach, I had trouble getting my thoughts from my mind on to paper. When I was in college, I had to write an on-the-spot essay for an English test. It was a night course and everybody had finished and left leaving me there with the Professor. I could not write a thing. He felt sorry for me and passed me anyway. To fast forward, when I developed a relationship with God, one day I felt the urge to write about how good God had been to me. I was amazed at how the words were swelling up in my mind and my hands could barely write fast enough. When I finally accepted the call and was given a Sunday to preach my first sermon, I invited my brother and sister to come and hear me preach. My sister told me she jokingly said to my brother “Ruth can’t talk – how is she going to preach.” But after I finished, she said “sis you didn’t stutter not one time.”

I am a living witness that God does equip the called. If you are struggling with answering your call, let me assure you to let go of the fear. God already knows what you can and cannot do. All through the Bible are examples of God equipping the ones He called. Now go, and answer the call!!!!!

Blessings,

Pastor Ruth