Exodus 3:1-4:17
From cover to cover, the Bible describes God as one who sees, hears and responds to the pain and need of people and then calls on both individuals and groups to meet that need in His name and by the power of His Spirit. I am making the assumption that God did not quit doing that with the closing of the canon of the Old and New Testaments, that God still does the same today in people like you and me. The call stories we study this week are not just good parts of biblical history, they are sources to help us discern God's call and how it may be operating in our lives.
Moses' call has been so dramatized in the movies that we can easily distance ourselves from it. By the time we meet him in Exodus 3, Moses is a nobody, a common shepherd with both a great and questionable past. The more you get to know people, the more you discover that they have both aspects to their lives: great possibilities and burdens from their past that few know. Most of us relate to Moses as the man who spent time wondering "what if" or "if only" about his life. He considers the land, the situation and himself as "God-forsaken", even naming a child after his disappointing situation. It is also what the children of Israel felt about themselves as they suffered under the bondage of the Egyptian Pharaoh and his taskmasters.
But Moses is wrong. He is not God-forsaken, but rather God-chosen. God gives him a symbol of who he is to become: a burning bush that was not consumed. The land which is considered barren and forsaken becomes "holy ground." When he asks the name of the god he is speaking to, is he asking whether this is one of many gods, like the many in Egyptian religion? But this is "I am who I am" or "I will be whatever I choose to be", a deity that cannot be contained in an idol and in true Hebrew is actually quite impronounable. This is a God who cannot be contained or even described. For the rest of his life, he will be putting himself in the hands of an upredictable God in both power and timing. He will find God amazing and exasperating, jealous and gracious, holy and intimate. Again, we relate to Moses.
Moses, like each of those who receive God's call (with the notable exceptions of some of the disciples of Jesus), is reluctant, partly because of inadequacy, partly because of likely rejection and misunderstanding, and partly because of a lack of faith. That's certainly a part of who I am as I try to discern God's call. To be called of God is to embrace challenges that can be very small and larger than we could ever accomplish.
The excuses of Moses are understandable. Why should he be the one chosen for such a big job? Because he sees himself through the eyes of his past failures and present inadequacies, he is the least likely choice. But God sees him as uniquely positioned for the liberation of the children of Israel. Quite often in scripture, we would debate whether God makes good choices, only to see that in the end, they were perfect (Abraham, Moses, David, Esther, Mary, Peter, Paul). Part of that is due to the work of Christ after we become followers. But I also believe that God sees in us things we have not seen in ourselves and awakens things in us that lay dormant until Christ comes into our hearts. But also, why should they believe him? He's damaged goods. It seems that the power of God does best with "damaged goods," at least from a scriptural perspective. The excuse of his "slow speech" feels all too convenient. Did his fears and wish not to be used that way making him develop a sudden stuttering problem? I wonder. Eventually, the truth comes out. He wants God to send someone else. And who could blame him? God gives him Aaron, but Aaron is not a stellar assistant and Moses ends up having to do most of the talking.
So, in the end, the issue was not Moses' ability, but his availability. I find that to often be the case with myself and others who experience God's call. Sometimes we just would rather he would call someone else. The problem is that our hearts will never find fulfillment until we are living out of the center of God's purpose. It will not be a comfortable journey for Moses, but it will be one terrific ride. The invitation is the same for you and me.
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2 comments:
God uses ordinary people to accomplish the extraordinary. Moses is a great example to that fact. But he also uses the ordinary to perform his day to day tasks like visiting those in hospitals, visiting shut-ins or working at food pantry.
As we examine our call this week, we don't have to lead a nation of people out of bondage, but to find our ministry right here is Lubbock and as the first chapter of "Taking Jesus to Work" points out - you are the light of God where you work, play and live.
Also, keep in mind I Cor 12 and that the body of Christ is composed of many different parts and gifts. Not everyone needs to be Moses, during the Exodus people needed to cook, care for the animals, care for the sick and many many other tasks that were important to get them to the promise land.
I am looking forward to this class and discovering more about my ministry in Christ, how about you.
Thanks, Jobby for your insight here. Part of discerning our call is seeing the work of God in our "ordinary" duties and activities. This season of the year is often called "ordinary time", in contrast to Advent, Epiphany, Lent, Easter,and Pentecost. It is symbolized in the color green and is worn more than any other color. Finding the call of God in the ordinary demands and gifts of our day may be the most important discovery we make.
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