[Membersandfriends] Saturday, August 07, 2004

Fri Aug 6 22:01:37 PDT 2004

The Upper Room Daily Devotional -- E-mail Edition
Brought to You by Upper Room Ministries
Saturday, August 07, 2004

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GOD EMPOWERS US
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Exodus 4:1-17 (NRSV)

Then Moses answered, "But suppose they do not believe me or listen to me, but say, 'The LORD did not appear to you.'" The LORD said to him, "What is that in your hand?" He said, "A staff." And he said, "Throw it on the ground." So he threw the staff on the ground, and it became a snake; and Moses drew back from it. Then the LORD said to Moses, "Reach out your hand, and seize it by the tail"--so he reached out his hand and grasped it, and it became a staff in his hand-- "so that they may believe that the LORD, the God of their ancestors, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has appeared to you." 

Again, the LORD said to him, "Put your hand inside your cloak." He put his hand into his cloak; and when he took it out, his hand was leprous, as white as snow. Then God said, "Put your hand back into your cloak"--so he put his hand back into his cloak, and when he took it out, it was restored like the rest of his body-- "If they will not believe you or heed the first sign, they may believe the second sign. If they will not believe even these two signs or heed you, you shall take some water from the Nile and pour it on the dry ground; and the water that you shall take from the Nile will become blood on the dry ground." 

But Moses said to the LORD, "O my Lord, I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor even now that you have spoken to your servant; but I am slow of speech and slow of tongue." Then the LORD said to him, "Who gives speech to mortals? Who makes them mute or deaf, seeing or blind? Is it not I, the LORD? Now go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you are to speak." But he said, "O my Lord, please send someone else." Then the anger of the LORD was kindled against Moses and he said, "What of your brother Aaron the Levite? I know that he can speak fluently; even now he is coming out to meet you, and when he sees you his heart will be glad. You shall speak to him and put the words in his mouth; and I will be with your mouth and with his mouth, and will teach you what you shall do. He indeed shall speak for you to the people; he shall serve as a mouth for you, and you shall serve as God for him. Take in your hand this staff, with which you shall perform the signs."

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Moses said to the LORD, "O my Lord, I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor even now that you have spoken to your servant; but I am slow of speech and slow of tongue."  
-Exodus 4:10 (NRSV)
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OUR family celebrated its biennial family reunion in East Tennessee over Memorial Day weekend.  The reunion began with a wonderful family picnic and was followed by a birthday celebration for a 100-year-old aunt.  A cousin who lives in West Virginia was asked to speak at the birthday celebration.  But when it was time for him to speak, he informed us that he could not because he had not yet heard from God.

Later that afternoon our cousin informed us that after spending time in prayer, he was now ready to speak.  His experience reminded me of God's words to Moses, "I will be with your mouth and teach you what you are to speak."  As with Moses, God inspired and empowered our cousin to have the courage to speak.

>From time to time God calls each of us to be a witness.  Like Moses, sometimes we feel inadequate to respond to the call.  However, if we pray and allow God to speak through us, we will be empowered to meet the challenge.

Prayer:  Dear God, thank you for the love, grace, and power that you extend to all who trust in you.  Guide our actions and our words this day and every day.  Amen.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:
Look to God for power to meet every challenge.

-- J. LaVon Kincaid (Pennsylvania, U.S.A.)

PRAYER FOCUS: Families living apart

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RELATED READING ...

Looking for ways to enhance the spiritual ties between you, your family, and God?  Then read FAMILY THE FORMING CENTER, an Upper Room book devoted to developing Christian homes through suggested models, rituals, and celebrations that can inspire the spiritual growth of your family.
http://www.upperroom.org/bookstore/desc.asp?ep_id=30&item_id=12530

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The scripture quotation is from the NEW REVISED STANDARD VERSION of the Bible, copyright (c) 1989, by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the U.S.A.  Used by permission.  All rights reserved.