The LORD said, “I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned about their suffering. So I have come down to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land into a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey—the home of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites. And now the cry of the Israelites has reached me, and I have seen the way the Egyptians are oppressing them. So now, go. I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt.” Exodus 3:7-10
Put yourself in Moses' shoes for a moment and think about how you would respond to this situation. First off, he's talking to a bush that is on fire. This fiery bush claims to be God and though it's on fire, the fire doesn't consume it; it just continues to burn. Moses is convinced and God proceeds to tell him that He is about to do something for Moses' people; He is going to intervene on Israel's behalf. Imagine the joy Moses must have felt when God says, “ So I have come down to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians.” WOOOOHOOOOOO!!!!!! Peel a grape, pluck a chicken, roast a heifer and bring out the bubbly, the Israelites are going to be rescued! I'm sure that joy was short-lived because two verses later God reveals the rest of the plan. The Israelites are going to be rescued and Moses is going to be the tool that God uses to make it happen. “So now, go. I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt.”
If you are familiar with the story then you know that Moses immediately goes on the defensive and starts making excuses as to why he can't complete the task that God had given him.
Have you ever found yourself in Moses' situation; a situation where God has called you to do something? Perhaps it was a call to a particular ministry or job or even a call to witness to someone. How did you respond and how did the situation play out?
*What will Moses do? Will the Israelites ever make it out of Egypt? Will the fire ever consume the bush? Come find out this Sunday morning!
(*These questions are all rhetorical and necessary to complete my shameless plug.)
Director of Student Ministries, Joel Stamper
I think of the times God has called and I have responded. I imagine there are times God has called and I was not paying attention. Besides the obvious lifetime ministry call, I was called to marry Kim Gamble (Cooper). Kim and I weren't dating and hadn't even been much in contact with each other and God made it as clear as a burning bush that I should marry her. I found out she was at camp that day, so I drove there and explained to her God's revelation to me - she just laughed. On February 6 will have been laughing together for 29 years. - Praise God I listened to that call.
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