BRAGADAYJAH 173

It is not every day a person encounters and talks with God. So Moses could be excused for doubting God over the success of his mission. They will not listen to me or believe me he protested; but God is patient and assures him that they will. Surely God assured him these two signs I have given you, a stick that turns into a snake and back again into a stick, and a hand which turned leprous white as snow and back again are two powerful tools which would surely convince the people that you have met and spoke with God. However, God told Moses, “I will give you a third sign should they not believe or listen to you after the first two signs. Here is what you should do. Take some water from the river and pour it on dry land; and the water which you take out of the river and pour on the dry land will turn to blood upon the dry land.” Moses was fast running out of excuses. First he used the excuses of doubting God; but now God demonstrated who he was and his power, Moses turned to doubting himself. “Lord,” he said; I do believe you are the God of my fathers and you are mighty in power; but the problem is I. You see Lord, I cannot speak; when I try to speak I get all tongue tied; and the people would just laugh at me because I am slow of speech and I am slow of wit. “Now then,” “the Lord asked Moses, “Is it not I who made the mouth of man? Have I not made the dumb and deaf and blind and sighted? Am I not the Lord?” “Go ye, therefore, and I will be with thee; I will be your mouth, and will teach you what to say.” What did Moses have to say to that? We will see next time. More