You Be Faithful. God Takes Care of the Results

Exodus 7 is a bit of a turning point in the story. It moves from the story of the man God would use to the story of redemption God will perform. Here's God's commission to Moses and Aaron:
Exodus 7:2–4 (ESV) You shall speak all that I command you, and your brother Aaron shall tell Pharaoh to let the people of Israel go out of his land. 3 But I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and though I multiply my signs and wonders in the land of Egypt, 4 Pharaoh will not listen to you. Then I will lay my hand on Egypt and bring my hosts, my people the children of Israel, out of the land of Egypt by great acts of judgment.

What a job. God first says, "Say all I command to Pharaoh." Then God says, "And I want you to know he will not listen to you."

If that were my assignment I'd wonder what was the point! But herein lies the secret to works for God for those He has called. You are not in charge of results, you are simply assigned the task to speak. No one can make a heart change. God alone will save.

I like what Martin Luther said about this passage:

"Is it not foolish for someone to say to another: Friend, preach to Pharaoh, but be advised that he will not listen to you; for I intend to harden him? I would refuse such an assignment from anyone and would say: Preach yourself. But the answer is: We are bidden to preach, but we are not bidden to justify people and make them pious. This thought should comfort all preachers and Christians, and everybody should pursue his calling and faithfully perform its duties. Only the Word of God is entrusted to Moses, not the responsibility of making Pharaoh soft or hard by preaching... This is done for his consolation that he may not be frightened if nobody wants to follow and obey him. If I could be moved by the fact that my word and sermon are despised, I suppose I would stop preaching. But (says God) go on, Moses, preach!"

In other words, your job in God is not made to prove you are worthy or valuable. Your job is simply a gift of God's purpose in your life. We can measure the results all we want but they do not prove we deserve to live or die. Do what God says because He has made you alive in Christ. The miracle of the new birth is complete and final in your life!

Consider the following success stories of the Bible:

Noah had preached for 120 years without a single convert.

Jeremiah preached for 20 years and felt deceived by God since no one listened.

Paul went to Athens and hardly anyone responded.

Jesus himself preached the word and they rejected Him, and His own closest friends abandoned Him.

Faithfulness, not results is the measure of a man/woman of God. 

1 Corinthians 4:2 (ESV) is required of stewards that they be found faithful.

We are stewards. God is the owner and operator. 

Pharaoh's response also shows us the two pronged nature of God's Word. For some, the Word of God cuts to the heart softening the person and surrendering to God's love and grace. For others, the Word hardens the heart. The reason for why some are hardened and some are softened are left to God's sovereign plan. Once again, we are left to simply do our duty. 

But what a freedom we have in Christ's work! We do not have to define ourselves by worldly success that is so fleeting, temporary and unreliable to fulfill whatever expectations we place on it. The man who serves his own success will fall prey to any number of temptations he may need to justify his existence or take out his own stresses when things do not work out the way he wants. God here frees Moses from his own idea of success so that Moses can be liberated simply to obey God and know it was enough. There will be results, but in God's way, according to God's plan and for God's glory. 

You are called.

You are chosen.

You aren't responsible to prove it to anyone! Including themselves.