| Who ME ?
Exodus 3:1 Now Moses kept the flock of Jethro his father in law, the priest of Midian: and he led the flock to the backside of the desert, and came to the mountain of God, ( Ah the backside of the desert ever been there urself? Notice: Despite his circumstances he somehow managed to make it to the mountain of God and he obviously came with worship in mind. There’s a lesson here if we search diligently, have u ever felt like u were on the backside of a desert? like u were all alone? scorched not so much by the noonday sun as by the after noon gossip of know it all saints, ever felt the cold chill of angry accusations rather than the cold chill of the dreaded desert night, pricked not be the thorns and thistles of a desert cactus but by the callous condemnation of fellow brothers and sisters. Ah u see we too can find ourselves on the backside of the desert too. But the question is, do you find your way to the mountain of God? to the house of God? to the fellowship of saints? or to the house of drink and revelry? to the homes of the hypocrites and gossipers? to the local bar? To the comfort of the world or the comfort of the word?) 2 And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush: and he looked, and, behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed. ( ok ok now some of you are gonna say yeah right a burning bush give me a break! Another lesson here, so you say God can’t speak to you through the man of God huh? Or through one of his many saints and maybe even some of the aint’s? better think on it again, God is not limited in how he moves or speaks but we are don’t try to reverse the roles here ) 3 And Moses said, I will now turn aside, and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt. ( Hum isn’t that just like most of us we tend to want to question the miracles, to reason it out, to excuse it, to many folks just want to observe rather than participate! ) 4 And when the LORD saw that he turned aside to see, God called unto him out of the midst of the bush, and said, Moses, Moses. And he said, Here am I. ( if only we would be so willing so available, so vulnerable, so tired of hiding behind our problems, within our desert palaces?) 5 And he said, Draw not nigh hither: put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground. ( Notice: it wasn’t so much the ground as it was the one represented there, wasn’t so much the place as it was the providence and presence of God, perhaps it had more to do with an attitude than altitude? For to think holy is to live holy! Did anybody notice? Moses was on the backside of the desert, in the wilderness, in the bareness, with not much going for him or so it seem. He was in a place where he felt all alone, maybe forgotten, abandoned, exposed, persecuted and neglected. But this is where he found Holy ground! Could we be missing something here in this story? Perhaps it is in ur doubting desert experience, your lonely wilderness struggles, your cold and comfortless nights. Maybe it is here that you really find his presence! There in ur desert experience where you see his holiness, and all along u thought he had forsaken you? Maybe the desert was meant to get your mind on God, meant to draw u nearer to God, but you have to find the place of worship, the mountain of God in ur desert experience) Another thing to take note of here is that there is a Jewish custom or practice that when one is in the presence of someone highly honored or esteemed as wise, it is customary to remove your shoes as a sign of respect! Hence perhaps if we would show more respect for God, for the house of God, for the ministry or minister of God then maybe we to would see his glory, his holiness, his call, his anointing, his presence? ( some more food for thought! In Jewish tradition it is customary to remove your shoes as a sign of respect when in the presence of elders or someone highly esteemed. Hence asking Moses to remove his shoes was meant to get his focus in perspective, to remind him to reverence the presence of God, to change his outlook of where he was at, and why he was there in that circumstance and situation. Gods Holiness is not negated nor constrained by circumstances. ) 6 Moreover he said, I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. And Moses hid his face; for he was afraid to look upon God. 7 And the LORD said, I have surely seen the affliction of my people which are in Egypt, and have heard their cry by reason of their taskmasters; for I know their sorrows; ( And you think he’s not watching over you, think he doesn’t hear, doesn’t see, doesn’t care, yeah right! “ the eyes of the Lord are upon the saints and his ears are attentive unto their cries“ casting all your care upon him for he careth for you“ ) 8 And I am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land unto a good land and a large, unto a land flowing with milk and honey.. ( Hey in case you forgot his promises are a sure thing! If he saids it, its a done deal, so why don’t you act like it! Don‘t forget earth is the curse but heaven is your promise! Earth is temporal but heaven is eternal) 9 Now therefore, behold, the cry of the children of Israel is come unto me: and I have also seen the oppression wherewith the Egyptians oppress them. 10 Come now therefore, and I will send thee unto Pharaoh, that thou mayest bring forth my people the children of Israel out of Egypt. 11 And Moses said unto God, Who am I, that I should go unto Pharaoh, that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt?(Well for one a child of God no, actually that saids it all ) 12 And he said, Certainly I will be with thee.. 13 And Moses said unto God, Behold, when I come unto the children of Israel, and shall say unto them, The God of your fathers hath sent me unto you; and they shall say to me, What is his name? what shall I say unto them? 14 And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you. Reflections and thoughts: Who am I ? What a question, yet so many of us ask the same question of God, dare I say we even arrogantly ask God who are you? Who do you think you are, God? What an experience a burning bush, a powerfully anointed call to ministry and service ( the two go together in case u forgot) and an intimate moment with an almighty God to little O Moses, Yeah Moses thought who me? yeah he doubted too, he knew himself better than most folks, ah but thank God he knows more than we think he does, For Moses it was the break of a lifetime, the stuff of dreams, it was his opportunity to become big shot among the fellow peasants or was it? For him it was a great opportunity, but a divine privilege just the same not to mention a grave responsibility, and that was his point. WHY him? of all people come on Lord you know me! you know about that thing I did the other day, that failure last week or yesterday for that matter, you also know about what’s her name? you get the point. You know the hidden secrets so why me? Yeah Lord after all I’m just a lowly shepherd, a desert nomad, unwanted, cast out, persecuted, forsaken, considered a traitor by many, fleeing state prosecution. Hey Lord I’m a wanted criminal, I’m dirty, smelly, haven’t changed clothes in years, and I surely don’t have any useful talents, are you sure bout this? Hum why you laughing? haven’t you tried to argue with God like this before too? Let me say this whom God calls he enables! and who he calls is not for us to decline or debate, Yes you may be a lowly janitor or so you think, a big shot executive or so you think, you might own a mansion or live in shelter, you might be the reject of society or the worshiped of Hollyweird, (misspelled on purpose) you might wash dishes or drive a cab, work in a low end job or a high rise penthouse, You see it wont matter to God cause he sees what others fail to see, he believes in whom others fail to believe, he forgives when others won’t, he calls the lowly, the incapable, the unqualified and dare I say the unsaved? Who am I? who are you? Sometimes we feel like Moses, we feel unnoticed, unrecognized, unwanted, unqualified, yes even unworthy! NOT SO! May I answer who you are? and why you? “for ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a peculiar people, an holy nation..” for ye are heirs in Christ..” ye are the children of God” if any man be in Christ he is a new creature” for ye are blood washed, blood bought, ye are justified, ye are sanctified..” and why you? why not? “ for I have called you with an holy calling” for unto us is given the ministry of reconciliation ..“ not many wise are called not may rich, not many noble..” for I have chosen you, you have not chosen me..” for whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved” for God so loved the world..“ That’s why you! Maybe he doesn’t call you so much to service as a minister as to be saved in ministry! A PRAYER : My father which art not only in Heaven but here as well, with me, with others, Oh bless ur holy name! I worship and exalt thee! Thank you Lord, praise be the name of the Lord most high, I ask your forgiveness and guidance this day daddy, I also pray for those today who feel like you are so far from them, so unconcerned with them and over them, I pray that they will know your love, your sweet presence, your mighty power, your loving grace, your tender touch, but then again how will they ever know it unless I choose to say here I am Lord! And let you love them, forgive them, feed them, encourage them, all through me? Help me daddy to see that there are greater needs than mine all around me. That there are people who suffer more than I, that there are circumstances greater than I but not greater than my God, hallelujah! Yes there may be pain and hurt along with this calling but there is also providence and humility for the better, Comfort for the hurting and the lost, O lord it is you I adore. I recognize, you are the mighty God in Jesus! I pray ur name will be lifted and magnified, your kingdom forever to reign, Thank you again daddy! I thank you for the ministry and the many you have called to ministry, I pray that you will meet their every need, anoint their ministry. Above all protect them from the adversary. For that matter please continue to protect us all from him, protect us from the spirit of low self esteem, from the spirit of rejection, from the spirit of unworthiness, from self, from flesh, walk with me Jesus, talk with me daddy, and if u feel like chatting don’t hesitate to call me, Here I am! amen... gretwuhee jangdznd bagheznm llsoebababafa oi sesytreeee naba shamaassjjjjj Prepared by Rev. George R. Nava 209-465-9731 web page- |