"I am slow of speech and tongue."

I finally had the chance to watch “The King’s Speech” this weekend.  Excellent movie!  Probably not one I’d watch more than once or twice, but I thought it was very well done, and an insightful look into that particular royal family. 

After having read this article {link} awhile ago, I was even more intrigued to see the film.  I thought Colin Firth’s portrayal of the King was excellent, and I truly felt my heart go out to him as he struggled with his speech impediment.  As somebody who doesn’t like public speaking to begin with, I can’t imagine the personal humiliation of the problem being compounded with stuttering and stammering. 

The movie also created a lovely picture of his wife & children and the unconditional love and support they gave him as he struggled to overcome this impairment.

There was a scene that particularly stuck out to me, where he was so distraught over the pressure and his inadequacy that he shook with tears and yelled: “I am not a king; I am not a king!!!”  

It reminded me of Moses in Exodus 3 & 4 where God told him to go to Pharaoh and ask for the release of the Israelites.  God gave Moses everything he would need, and what was the response? 

Exodus 4:10 –  Moses said to the LORD, “Pardon your servant, Lord. I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since you have spoken to your servant. I am slow of speech and tongue.”

I can just hear him saying “I am not a king; I am not a king!”  (perhaps “ambassador” would be a better word in this case.)

Exodus 4:11&12 - The LORD said to him, "Who gave human beings their mouths?  Who makes them deaf or mute?  Who gives them sight or makes them blind?  Is it not I the LORD?  Now go; I will help you speak and will teach you what to say."

God will equip those He has called.

Exodus 4:13-14a - But Moses said, "Pardon your servant, Lord.  Please send someone else."  Then the LORD's anger burned against Moses...

Ouch.  I think this was a long lesson for Moses to learn.  But isn’t it for all of us?  How many times have I felt prompted to do something and yet shirked away from it because of my own feeling of inadequacy?  Probably more times than I would like to recall. 

Philippians 4:13 – I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.

God never promised us that life would be easy, but He did promise that He would never leave or forsake us, and that He would give us the strength to do whatever He has asked of us. 

It’s been my experience in life that God doesn’t often just plop us into a vat full of grace and call it a day.  It’s usually more like droplets of grace sprinkled through each day, just enough to get us through, but not so much that we forget where our abilities and strength come from or our need to depend completely on Him. 

Have you felt those drops of grace in the midst of inadequacy lately?