After a long hard day of caring for the sheep, he is tired and hungry. Moses sees a fire in the distance. A guy sits at a campfire roasting hot dogs and making smores. The stranger invites Moses to share in the feast. They end a great evening of companionship singing Kumbaya. Moses walks away, thinking of the nice little visit he had.
However, the biblical version in Exodus 3:1-15 is not a friendly campfire. In Exodus 3, the fire of the holiness of the God of the Universe is burning and it is hot!
THE OLD MAN WHO HAD SEEN BETTER DAYS
God’s timing is unique. He reveals Himself to an old shepherd who has seen better days. While in his prime, Moses’ future held great promise. Raised in Pharoah’s Court, Moses was privileged, bright, articulate and brash. Impulsive Moses took on the cloak of a revolutionary. By murdering an Egyptian, he rebelled against the oppression of his people, the Israelites. However, none of his people joined the cause. Moses flees for his life. By Exodus 3 he is broken, and his years don’t seem golden.
WHEN GOD CAN FINALLY WORK
If asked the identity of Moses, the Israelites during this time would probably all ask, “Moses??? Moses who?” But God thoroughly knew who Moses had become, the man who matured during all those years while tending stupid sheep. Moses’ pride departed a long time ago. When people get to the end of themselves, this is when God can finally work.
GOD’S TIMING IS RIGHT
From the burning bush, God declares, “I have certainly seen the oppression of My people who are in Egypt, and have heard their outcry because of their taskmasters, for I am aware of their sufferings”. Nothing gets past God. His timing is always right.
This is not a comfortable, feel-good God. You can understand the terror of Moses when he hears: “’I am the God of your father—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’ Then Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God.”
WHO IS GOD?
Moses not only wonders, “Who am I?” he asks God “Who are You?” God answers, “I AM.” Those two words describe the God of eternity. “When used as a stand-alone description, I AM is the ultimate statement of self-sufficiency, self-existence, and immediate presence. God’s existence is not contingent upon anyone else. His plans are not contingent upon any circumstances. He promises that He will be what He will be; that is, He will be the eternally constant God. He stands, ever-present and unchangeable, completely sufficient in Himself to do what He wills to do and to accomplish what He wills to accomplish. (Gotquestions.org)
YOUR INABILITIES DON’T MATTER
Is this the God you know and acknowledge every day of your life? Do you wake up with joy knowing that God is eternally present in your day? When you are exhausted, do you choose to still obey and serve the completely sufficient God? God doesn’t care about all your inabilities; God just requires that you offer yourself unreservedly to Him.
Maybe you will not be leading millions of people out of captivity, but regardless of the challenge you can courageously obey Christ. After all, I Am is the eternally constant God. His plans are much bigger than a little comfortable campfire. Before this God we take off our shoes, lay prone, and offer up our hands in obedience. What a God!
MORE UNLIKELY PEOPLE GOD USED
God chooses the most unlikely people to conduct His greatest purpose. Unlikely? Yes! But not unwilling. Read about: Mary Slessor, a millworker. Christiana Tsai, who reached hundreds of Chinese students for Christ from her bed in Paradise, PA. She said, “My bed is not a prison, but a training school; the Holy Spirit is my mentor, and my visitors are my homework.” Hudson Taylor, the father of modern missions.
