Who Hath Made Man’s Mouth?

The One-Year finally arrived at the account of the burning bush, in Exodus, today. It has remained one of my favorite Bible stories, and I always find myself picturing various scenes from the “Prince of Egypt” movie when I read. But as I was reading and thinking, this evening, I noted that God’s frustration with Moses only happened in response to Moses’ buying into a lie about himself. Whether or not Moses was being sincere about not being able to talk well or if he really had some sort of speech impediment (I think he was trying to weasel his way out of the conversation, continuing to resist God) wasn’t relevant.

God asks this question, and it is easy to hear the passion of the Creator, not caring one bit about how humanity sees “flaws” in His image:

“Who hath made man’s mouth? or who maketh the dumb, or deaf, or the seeing, or the blind? have not I the Lord?” (I’m reading the KJV and everything reads so pretty)

God does not err. Disease and failure exist because of sin, and it is never His design for pain and hurt to happen — not ever. But if it does, you are not imperfect or unable. God is the creator of man’s mouth. HE values humanity more than we can measure. No physical problem is stronger than His destiny and His goodness. Moses had the audacity to tell the God who saved him from the demonic forces attacking Hebrew infants, the same God who made him and had a glorious purpose for him before he was born — he told THAT God “Oh, you have the wrong guy — look at all this stuff that’s wrong with me!”

It was then, when Moses stubbornly gave in to unbelief because of what he believed about himself, that God became angry. Not “at” Moses alone, but at his hyper focus on his inability, falsely perceived or otherwise. God had not only purposed to use Moses mightily and to send Him as His voice and representative to Pharaoh, but gave specific miraculous signs to mark who Moses was and Who had sent him. But Moses ignored all that and said: “I can’t. I’m not right. My body doesn’t work the way it’s supposed to.”

And maybe that was true! But to act like God didn’t know? That He didn’t see? The idea that God is bothered by physical disability? That was not good.

God didn’t see a “disabled” person, but His chosen one.

I haven’t (and don’t plan to) use the word or think about the word “disabled” applied to me. I know that there are things I need help with, more things than some people, and that is okay — no big deal. But sometimes I need to be reminded that my focus is not on what I cannot do. God did not fail in designing me, and no pain or physical problem or additional help is where my focus is meant to be. Sometimes that is where it goes.

I like to think I am more receptive and less stubborn than Moses was at this moment. But the wake-up call, the shaking from God that Moses did not heed? I think I will! God made and adores human beings. He values the voice of people who cannot speak for themselves. He whispers in the ears, the inner person, of those who can’t hear. He is the perfect guide and ballast for those who cannot see.

He is the God who made every body and who will redeem every body. Healing is the will of God, both right now in physical bodies and in the future in our new bodies. He is not set back, bothered, or hampered by any sickness, disease, or physical difference. No matter what your body looks like, feels like, does or doesn’t do, can or can’t do — it is known. Every detail recorded and redeemed, already and not yet.

Moses was given the help he needed, but it was help he should not have worried for or stressed over. Aaron was already on his way! God sees past the roadblocks of human anatomy. But He is far more powerful and far more good than any of that. He rebukes the lie of “I can’t”, because He knows you can.

I can.

For you created my inmost being;
you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful,
I know that full well.
My frame was not hidden from you
when I was made in the secret place,
when I was woven together in the depths of the earth.
Your eyes saw my unformed body;
all the days ordained for me were written in your book
before one of them came to be. (Psalm 139:13–16)