1 Now Moses was keeping the flock of his father-in-law, Jethro, the priest of Midian, and he led his flock to the west side of the wilderness and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. 2 And the angel of the LORD appeared to him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush. He looked, and behold, the bush was burning, yet it was not consumed. 3 And Moses said, “I will turn aside to see this great sight, why the bush is not burned.” 4 When the LORD saw that he turned aside to see, God called to him out of the bush, “Moses, Moses!” And he said, “Here I am.” 5 Then he said, “Do not come near; take your sandals off your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.” 6 And he said, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God.
7 Then the LORD said, “I have surely seen the affliction of my people who are in Egypt and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters. I know their sufferings, 8 and I have come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land to a good and broad land, a land flowing with milk and honey, to the place of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites. 9 And now, behold, the cry of the people of Israel has come to me, and I have also seen the oppression with which the Egyptians oppress them. 10 Come, I will send you to Pharaoh that you may bring my people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt.” 11 But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?” 12 He said, “But I will be with you, and this shall be the sign for you, that I have sent you: when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall serve God on this mountain.”
13 Then Moses said to God, “If I come to the people of Israel and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ what shall I say to them?” 14 God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM.” And he said, “Say this to the people of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me to you.’” 15 God also said to Moses, “Say this to the people of Israel, ‘The LORD, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you.’ This is my name forever, and thus I am to be remembered throughout all generations.
Again with the questions. These heroes of the faith, so-called, are pretty hopeless aren't they. In this story, we meet Moses as he meets God. Working away as a simple shepherd, Moses sees a strange sight - a bush that is in flame but is not burned up. Out of the bush, God speaks. And Moses receives a call - to go to the king of Egypt and demand the release of the Israelites from slavery. Instead of jumping to it, Moses starts questioning God. He wants to know details.
Actually, it's quite a relief, isn't it. The heroes of the faith aren't quite so heroic. And so we can give up on the heroics too.
We can admit that we have questions too. We want details too. When we respond to a call of God, it usually feels scant on the details. When I feel the tug to a closer walk with God, I usually wonder where to place my feet first. So, I ask more questions - about where and when and why. I ask my pastor (yes -- I have a pastor). I read the Bible. I try to pray. And the questions don't seem to get answered.
How does God respond to Moses? Does God give him all the answers or the details? No. God does something so much more profound. God tells Moses God's name. God unveils the Name - 'I AM WHO I AM'. That's enough.
Usually, when we are worried or anxious, we ask for direction or clarity about the thing we are anxious about. Perhaps instead we should look for greater clarity on who God is, as revealed in God's Word.
In the book of Acts, when the early church first faced a threat, they prayed. And their pray was not filled with details of their problems or demands for guidance. Most of the prayer is reminding them of one thing - who God is. It might be a good way to start our prayers.
And when they heard [the concerns], they lifted their voices together to God and said, “Sovereign Lord, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and everything in them..." Acts 4:24.
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