Exodus 3 – July 16th, 2009
“I want you to go and tell the king of the largest nation on Earth that God has commanded you to releases millions of people.” Imagine God said that to you. What would your first thought be? God, who am I? Why would a king or president listen to me? No one really listens to me, never-the-less a king! Who am I that anyone would choose me to do such a huge task?
Many people feel inadequate; many people feel ill-equipped. In fact, if I were to guess, most people don’t feel all that secure about themselves. Moses clearly feels like he is the wrong choice. God has called him to a huge task, probably greater than any challenge I will ever face. I know I would have questions.
Look at the call of God on Moses. First God tells Moses to go back into Egypt: a country that Moses left because he murdered someone there. Second, God tells Moses that Pharaoh will say no at first. So, this is no easy task, rather it is a long tedious process. If that isn’t enough, then God tells Moses the goal is to lead out over a million people and take them to a land that is plentiful, but other people live there. Not just people, tribes and nations inhabit the place. Oh yeah, one more thing. God says that on the way out of Egypt, the Hebrew people are to ask the Egyptians to give them silver and gold from their own houses – yes, pay them to leave. And I think the things God calls ME to are hard!
Moses is just like the rest of us. He feels insecure. He feels ill-equipped. He is extremely aware of his own shortcomings. But, is that what God really needs? Does God need a man or woman who is skilled and fully equipped?
The story actually tells us that it isn’t about the person that God asks. It is about the God who goes with the person. Moses asks God to reconsider. He says, “Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?” God responds with the answer that I need to hear too. God says who He is. It isn’t about Moses and who Moses is. It is about the God who created the Earth and who He is.
We often want to make life about us; therefore the challenges and call of God are limited to what we think we are capable of doing. Maybe God has given a difficult marriage, or a tough boss to work with. Maybe God has not blessed us with overflowing finances. Yet, in all this, God calls us to do tough things. Normally, we want to say live like it all depends on our abilities. When, in reality, it doesn’t.
What are you going through in your life? Is God asking you to do difficult things in spite of your abilities? The answer is not in you. The answer is in the God who is with you. Remember, the God who called Moses spoke from a bush that was on fire and yet didn’t burn. Sound impossible? So do many of the trials we face in life – but they aren’t. Not for the God who created life!
Grace & Peace,
Pastor Jeff Ludington.
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