Moses was a Hebrew born in Egypt during a time when the ruling Pharaoh decreed that all Hebrew boys were to be killed. Moses’ life was spared through a bit of creative thinking by his mother and sister, and the young boy eventually was raised in the Egyptian royal palace.
When he was older, Moses witnessed an Egyptian slave master abusing another Hebrew, and Moses saved the man by killing the slave master. Moses fled from Egypt to escape the wrath of the Pharaoh and wound up in another nation nearly 500 miles away.
Forty years after his escape, Moses is tending to a flock of sheep when he sees a bush that is burning, but not turning to ash. God speaks to Moses from within the bush and says that He is going to rescue the Hebrews from captivity and deliver them to the land that He has set aside for them. Moses surely must have been thrilled to hear this news! “Yes, Lord, Thank You for hearing your people…my people…cry out for help.” “Yes, God! Release your people from bondage.” “Yes, God, you’re sending me to go do this…Wait, what…you’re sending ‘who’ to go do this?”
Moses is completely on board with God’s plan until he finds out that he is part of that plan. Suddenly, the stakes are a little higher. Moses agreed with God’s plan to deliver Israel from bondage, but he wasn’t ready to say “yes” to his role in the project. In fact, rather than accept God’s invitation, Moses immediately responds with: “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?” God says, “Don’t worry. I’ll be with you.” Moses doesn’t seem convinced. He asks another question: “Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ Then what shall I tell them?” God calmly replies, “I am who I am. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I am has sent me to you.’”
Moses is still unwilling to say “yes” to God, even with God’s assurances. Moses continues to move away from God’s call when he asks, “What if they do not believe me or listen to me and say, ‘The Lord did not appear to you’?” Again, God responds and instructs Moses to conduct a number of signs that should convince the Israelites. Moses gives it one last shot and says to God, “Pardon your servant, Lord. I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since you have spoken to your servant. I am slow of speech and tongue.” God doesn’t give up and continues to match Moses, and responds: “I will help you speak and will teach you what to say.” Moses has run out of excuses and arguments. Unwilling to accept God’s call and instruction, Moses finally says to God, “Pardon your servant, Lord. Please send someone else.”
God has a plan to change the lives of His people, and Moses was hand-picked to be part of that plan. Moses should be excited about this. It should be an easy “yes”. And with God’s string of assurances, you might think that Moses would be convinced of the plan’s success. But Moses wasn’t willing to say “yes” to the task that God had picked him for. For every excuse Moses gave, God had an answer. So Moses finally accepted his role and went to Egypt. Have you ever been in a situation like Moses? Has God placed a need on your heart? Do you feel God’s call on your life toward a cause…a community…or a career…but you push back by saying: No, God, I don’t think anyone will listen to me. No, God, I don’t know how to do this. No, God, I am afraid I will fail. God, please just choose someone else!
God hears you, but just as God heard Moses and responded, so God responds to you: You don’t think anyone will listen to you? Tell them I am the One who sent you. You don’t know how to do what I’m asking? I’ll guide you and bring others into your circle to help. You’re afraid you will fail? I am here as your backup. I’ve chosen you because you are the right person for the job, and I trust you.
Moses finally said “yes” to the role that God had for him. The result is that God’s power was demonstrated on a grand scale and countless lives were changed. All because one person said “yes” to God.
What “burning bush” has God set ablaze in your life this week? What role is God asking you to accept? How can you say “yes” to God and change the lives of others forever?
Word in Faith is a collaboration of Wayne Association of Congregations and Ministers (WACAM), an organization partially funded by the Wayne Community Chest.
