O Ye of Little Faith
Have you ever read the Bible and started to think that some of these characters are being silly in questioning or doubting what God has said to them when He has shown them time and time again that He is faithful? Take for instance Exodus 5.
To set the scene, God has just called Moses to return to Egypt to deliver His people from slavery. God tells Moses what is going to take place (Exodus 3:19-22). Then, in Exodus 5, we see Moses and Aaron walk in obedience to God’s instructions in telling Pharaoh to let the Israelites go. And just as God said, instead of complying, Pharaoh increased the workload and made the Israelites' lives more miserable. One would think, knowing what would happen in advance, that the people would be encouraged instead of doubting; however, that was not their response.
The Israelites went to Moses and Aaron blaming them for their increased hardships. Moses, in turn, began to question God. He asked, “Lord, why have you caused trouble for this people? And why did you ever send me? Ever since I went in to Pharaoh to speak in your name he has caused trouble for this people, and you haven’t rescued your people at all” (Exodus 5:22-23 CSB). Moses’ questions revealed his doubt in the character of God; whether or not He actually could deliver. Moses also doubted his own role in being used by God.
From an outside perspective, and maybe even knowing how this story ends, it can be easy to say “Oh Moses! God just told you He will save His people and how He would do it?”, or to the Israelites “Don’t you know who your God is? He will rescue you like He promised!” I have found myself doing this countless times throughout reading the Bible. But let’s pause and instead of asking the Israelites or Moses those questions – ask those questions about yourself. How many times does our faith start to waver when what God has promised or said He would do doesn't happen right away?
This makes me think of Matthew 8:26 because is this not true? “And he said to them, ‘Why are you afraid, O you of little faith?’ Then he rose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm.” (ESV)
Is our faith in God that fragile that the minute something doesn’t happen, we doubt everything God has said to us? What does this say about who we believe God to be? It’s not about the size of our faith (Matthew 17:20) but the matter in which our faith belongs (James 1: 6-8). So what do we do?
We change our perspective when reading God’s word. Seeing ourselves through the lens of the Israelites, and other people who are in the Bible stories, we share their doubt and human struggles. But then we will also see God is faithful to them, just as He is to us. The same God who was with all these people is the same God who is with us.
I am the LORD. I appeared to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob as God Almighty… I will take you as my people, and I will be your God (Exodus 6: 2-3,7 CSB).
I share this because I am right there with everyone who doubts when I don’t see God play out what He said He would – in my timing. I recognize the questions I ask about the people in God’s Word who doubt, are the same questions that could be asked of me. I find strength and encouragement when I focus more on the God of their story. No matter their doubt, God’s faithfulness never waived. He will be that way for me too.
