July 19 2023
The cry of the Israelites has now come to me; I have also seen how the Egyptians oppress them. So come, I will send you to Pharaoh to bring my people, the Israelites, out of Egypt.’ But Moses said to God, ‘Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh, and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?’ He said, ‘I will be with you; and this shall be the sign for you that it is I who sent you: when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall worship God on this mountain.’
From Exodus 3:1-6, 9-12, NRSV
Having now spent forty years in exile in Midian, Moses was now accustomed to life in a desert community. He had given himself to life as a shepherd and probably expected to live in obscurity with his family for the remainder of his life. God, however, had other plans for Moses and went to some lengths to gain Moses’ full attention. As he was tending to a flock of sheep, Moses became aware of a bush on fire. This was probably a common enough sight in a desert, but Moses realised that this was no ordinary bush fire since the bush itself was not being burnt up by the flames. Moses felt compelled to go and have a closer look. Having gained Moses’ attention, God was able to speak directly to him. God reminded Moses of his Hebrew ancestry and then shared his sorrow at the plight of the Hebrews in Egypt. God told Moses that he was to go to the Pharaoh and to bring the people of Israel out of Egypt. Moses’ initial reaction was unsurprisingly that of a sense of his inadequacy for the task. God however, knew that Moses’ past association with the Pharaoh’s court as well as his concern for his fellow countrymen would help to equip him for the task. God assured Moses that he would not be alone in carrying out this task, assuring him “I will be with you”.
- How do you think Moses felt after this encounter with God?
- What is your experience of feeling that God is with you?
God call came to Moses on a “normal” day as he carried out his routine tasks. Be aware today of the ways in which God speaks to you through your everyday experiences.
Image – Moses and the Burning Bush by Munir Alawi (Fine Art America)
