Called but Reluctant
“We must keep saying ‘yes’ to God and remind ourselves that it’s not who we are or aren’t, it’s not what we have or don’t have - it’s who He is that matters.”
Exodus 3:1-14 (NIV)
Now Moses was tending the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian, and he led the flock to the far side of the wilderness and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. There the angel of the LORD appeared to him in flames of fire from within a bush. Moses saw that though the bush was on fire it did not burn up. So Moses thought, “I will go over and see this strange sight—why the bush does not burn up.”
When the LORD saw that he had gone over to look, God called to him from within the bush, “Moses! Moses!”
And Moses said, “Here I am.”
“Do not come any closer,” God said. “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.” Then he said, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob.” At this, Moses hid his face, because he was afraid to look at God.
The LORD said, “I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned about their suffering. So I have come down to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land into a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey—the home of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites. And now the cry of the Israelites has reached me, and I have seen the way the Egyptians are oppressing them. So now, go. I am sending 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?”
And God said, “I will be with you. And this will be the sign to you that it is I who have sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you will worship God on this mountain.”
Moses said to God, “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 said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I AM has sent me to you.’”
Reflection
Have you ever thought about why you are reading this devotional? Could it be because God is trying to get your attention? In today’s reading, God is trying to get Moses’ attention. He does this by calling Moses’ name. Twice. As we read, Moses has a miraculous encounter with God in the desert. God actually calls to Moses from a burning bush! Sometimes God does dramatic things to get our attention. Maybe you have had a “burning bush” experience of your own, one where you were face-to-face with God and a crucial decision had to be made. If so, you can probably identify with Moses.
When we see him today, Moses has settled down into being a herdsman. He is a man who has a past of committing murder and is now a shepherd tending his father-in-law’s flock – a seemingly unexpected place for God to meet him. Yet God often calls to us in places and seasons where we wouldn’t expect Him to call. Sometimes it’s in a place of self-doubt or insecurity, and sometimes we may feel ashamed and unworthy to do whatever it is God is calling us to do. Even in today’s reading, Moses exhausts the excuses as to why he isn’t qualified. He’s called, but he’s reluctant.
But what we have to remember is that God sees us and He knows us, just like He sees and knows Moses.
God tells us, “Give your situation to me and see what I can do.”
God asks us to do what He wants us to do, and then He walks with us through the process. He calls us to tell others about His love and to glorify Him in how we live our lives. We must keep saying “yes” to God and remind ourselves that it’s not who we are or aren’t, it’s not what we have or don’t have - it’s who He is that matters.
We don’t know why God does his work through the broken, but He does. Moses was broken, but when He surrendered to God, God helped Moses do amazing, history-altering things. He can do the same with us, too. He tells us:
Being called can be intimidating, but like Moses, we can trust in the One who is always with us. Is He calling your name today?
Action Steps
Prayer
Heavenly Father, thank You for calling me to do Your will. I’m sorry I get scared or ignore You. Thank You for calling my name when I stray or get complacent. I pray You remind me to always place my trust in You. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Now Moses was tending the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian, and he led the flock to the far side of the wilderness and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. There the angel of the LORD appeared to him in flames of fire from within a bush. Moses saw that though the bush was on fire it did not burn up. So Moses thought, “I will go over and see this strange sight—why the bush does not burn up.”
When the LORD saw that he had gone over to look, God called to him from within the bush, “Moses! Moses!”
And Moses said, “Here I am.”
“Do not come any closer,” God said. “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.” Then he said, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob.” At this, Moses hid his face, because he was afraid to look at God.
The LORD said, “I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned about their suffering. So I have come down to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land into a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey—the home of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites. And now the cry of the Israelites has reached me, and I have seen the way the Egyptians are oppressing them. So now, go. I am sending 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?”
And God said, “I will be with you. And this will be the sign to you that it is I who have sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you will worship God on this mountain.”
Moses said to God, “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 said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I AM has sent me to you.’”
Reflection
Have you ever thought about why you are reading this devotional? Could it be because God is trying to get your attention? In today’s reading, God is trying to get Moses’ attention. He does this by calling Moses’ name. Twice. As we read, Moses has a miraculous encounter with God in the desert. God actually calls to Moses from a burning bush! Sometimes God does dramatic things to get our attention. Maybe you have had a “burning bush” experience of your own, one where you were face-to-face with God and a crucial decision had to be made. If so, you can probably identify with Moses.
When we see him today, Moses has settled down into being a herdsman. He is a man who has a past of committing murder and is now a shepherd tending his father-in-law’s flock – a seemingly unexpected place for God to meet him. Yet God often calls to us in places and seasons where we wouldn’t expect Him to call. Sometimes it’s in a place of self-doubt or insecurity, and sometimes we may feel ashamed and unworthy to do whatever it is God is calling us to do. Even in today’s reading, Moses exhausts the excuses as to why he isn’t qualified. He’s called, but he’s reluctant.
But what we have to remember is that God sees us and He knows us, just like He sees and knows Moses.
God tells us, “Give your situation to me and see what I can do.”
God asks us to do what He wants us to do, and then He walks with us through the process. He calls us to tell others about His love and to glorify Him in how we live our lives. We must keep saying “yes” to God and remind ourselves that it’s not who we are or aren’t, it’s not what we have or don’t have - it’s who He is that matters.
We don’t know why God does his work through the broken, but He does. Moses was broken, but when He surrendered to God, God helped Moses do amazing, history-altering things. He can do the same with us, too. He tells us:
- I will be with you (Matthew 28:20).
- I am who I am (Exodus 3:14).
- I am your God (Isaiah 41:10).
- I am God Almighty. Live in constant awareness that I’m always with you (Genesis 17:1).
Being called can be intimidating, but like Moses, we can trust in the One who is always with us. Is He calling your name today?
Action Steps
- Is there anything separating you from God today? Just like Moses is instructed to remove his sandals so he can stand fully in the presence of God, is there anything in your life that needs to be removed so you can stand closer to Him? Spend a few minutes contemplating what may be keeping you from having a closer relationship with God.
- Journal what you need to surrender to God, and document what He does to see you through. Remember his faithfulness when you feel unqualified and unworthy.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, thank You for calling me to do Your will. I’m sorry I get scared or ignore You. Thank You for calling my name when I stray or get complacent. I pray You remind me to always place my trust in You. In Jesus’ name, amen.
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