Write It Down: Lessons for Writers from Exodus 24:4
By: Jimmie Aaron Kepler
Exodus 24:4 – “Moses then wrote down everything the Lord had said.”
I’ve always loved how Exodus 24:4 puts it so simply:
“Moses then wrote down everything the Lord had said.”
It’s plain. Straightforward. Almost easy to miss. But stop and think about it a second. Moses didn’t just nod along, figuring he’d remember later. He didn’t say, “I’ll get around to it when the time feels right.” He didn’t even leave it to chance. No—he wrote it down. And because he did, we still hold those words in our hands today.
Now, I don’t know about you, but that gets to me. It makes me wonder—what would’ve been lost if Moses hadn’t put pen to parchment? How much wisdom, how much truth, how much of God’s guidance might have slipped through the cracks of human memory if he’d walked away and just assumed he’d recall it later?
Friend, there’s a sermon in that for all of us who write.
Moses and the Writer’s Call
Moses wasn’t setting out to become a bestselling author. He wasn’t looking to climb the literary charts or even leave a legacy. He was just being faithful. He was obedient to capture what God had spoken, no matter how ordinary or inconvenient the task might have seemed at the moment.
That’s the call for us as writers, poets, storytellers, and dreamers. Maybe you’re wrestling with words that won’t come out right. Maybe you’re staring at a blinking cursor that feels more like a dare than an invitation. Or maybe you’ve convinced yourself nobody needs your story anyway.
But here’s the truth—your words matter. Just like Moses’s did.
Writing as Preservation
Writing isn’t just self-expression; it’s preservation. Think about all the moments you’ve lived through—joys that lit up your heart, heartbreaks that nearly undid you, lessons you learned the hard way. If you don’t write them down, who will?
I think about my own journals, scratched out in coffee shops and quiet mornings before the world got noisy. I didn’t write them thinking anyone else would read them. But every once in a while, I’ll flip back through and find a note, a prayer, or a thought that feels like a lifeline thrown across time from my younger self.
That’s what happens when we write—we preserve what God is teaching us. We anchor fleeting thoughts before they drift off. And sometimes, we leave behind a trail someone else can follow when they get lost in the dark.
Somebody’s Waiting
You may never know who your words are meant for. Could be your grandchild reading them fifty years from now. Could be a stranger on the other side of the world stumbling across your book, blog, or poem. Could be a friend sitting in the same pew, needing a reminder that they’re not alone.
But make no mistake—somebody’s waiting for your story. Somebody’s waiting for your words.
Start Where You Are
You don’t need perfect grammar, a polished manuscript, or a book deal to begin. You just need to start. Moses didn’t wait until conditions were perfect—he wrote it down as it came. And look at the difference it made.
Maybe today it’s just a sentence scribbled in a notebook. Maybe it’s a half-finished poem on your phone. Maybe it’s an essay that will one day grow into a book. Whatever it looks like, start where you are. Write what God has laid on your heart.
Because words unwritten eventually vanish. Words written can live on and on.
So next time you find yourself hesitating, remember Exodus 24:4: “Moses then wrote down everything the Lord had said.”
That wasn’t just a historical detail. It was an invitation. An example. A reminder that what we write today might be the very words someone else needs tomorrow.
So go ahead. Grab that pen. Open that laptop. Write it down.
Grace and Peace,
Jimmie
Did you enjoy this article? You can find more of Jimmie Aaron Kepler’s non-fiction books at NONFICTION and his speculative fiction books written as Jim Kepler at FICTION.
