Read: Exodus 3 & 4
My kids have a knack for flushing things down the toilet. My Little Pony Dolls, scarves, bouncy balls, socks, toothbrushes – you name it and I’ve found it wrapped around our pipes wreaking havoc on our septic system. It’s always an accident, of course, but – nonetheless – I have often found myself wishing that before having children I had apprenticed with a plumber.
99.9% of motherhood falls into a category I like to call, “I have no idea what I’m doing.” Who knew that the name “Mama” is synonymous with words like “Veterinarian” and “Bike Mechanic.” This job, this calling is not for the weak of heart. I find myself daily raising my hands to heaven asking Jesus for wisdom. If ever there was a women qualified to mother these children – I am not her.
Here in this text, we see that Moses, too, saw himself far less than qualified for the task that God was calling him to. No matter what God said, Moses questioned his ability to do it and in that, Moses wasn’t questioning himself - He was questioning God. This revelation shook me as I read it. Each time I question why I was chosen to mother this brood, I am not questioning myself – I am questioning God. Was this really a wise decision? Why would He choose me? Doesn’t He know better?
We must settle this issue in our hearts: God picked us. Questioning the wisdom of His choice will only hinder us from embracing fully what God has called us to do. Not only that, the pressure to be the “perfect” or “qualified mother” will squeeze the joy out of being a mother. In 1 Corinthians 1, Paul says that God chose to use the “foolish things” to “confound the wise” so that “no man can boast in himself (vs. 27-21).” Could it be that our inadequacies are the very things that bring Him the most glory?
Moses’ disabilities did not DISQUALIFY him nor did his past palace-breeding QUALIFY him. What qualified Moses had nothing to do with him and everything to do with God.
God’s answers to Moses’ questions of why he would be chosen for this task can be boiled down to two “qualifications:”
1. God would be with Him.
2. God would help Him.
THAT is what qualifies us as well. GOD is with us and GOD will help us. Do I know how to handle the teenage-sized emotions that I may face today? Nope. Do I know how to fix a flat tire on a bike? Nope. Do I know how to make a splint for a squirrel they find in the woods? Nope. I have no clue what to do, but He does. And today I fully rest in this: He will be with me every step of the way and help me when I call out to Him. In embracing my lack of qualifications, I have learned to rely on Him more and more, and in this, began to see Him for who He truly is: The All-Sufficient One, more than enough for me.
Seal this truth in your heart today: God picked you and HE is qualified to help you and carry you through whatever might come your way.
Journal:
Do you often question if you have what it takes to be a mother? If so, why do you think you do that?
Do you struggle with putting pressure on yourself to be the “perfect” mother or find yourself comparing your mothering skills to other women in your circle and feeling like you come up short? If so, why do you think you do this?
What truths from today’s reading do you need to hold on to as you move forward?
***THIS IS A DEVOTIONAL FROM "BIBLE STUDY MAMA" - a 30 Day Devotional for Moms out NOW on amazon. Find the link on our "Resource" page!***
