Today's ReadingExodus 3:1-15
As we continue our "Missional Journey" through the bible, we come to one of the most well known stories in scripture - Moses and the burning bush.
A significant feature of this story is the theme of imperfect leadership. Moses, like his ancestors before him, is flawed and exhibits fear and self-doubt as he wrestles with God's claim on his life. Moses has a sordid past; he is a murderer and fugitive, and by his own admission he is not an eloquent or persuasive speaker; and yet God has chosen Moses to lead the people of Israel out of their bondage in Egypt and into the promised land, the land sworn to his ancestor Abraham. As we continue our "missional journey" through the bible, we will discover that the bible is not filled with perfect and powerful heroes, but rather God chooses what the world sees as weakness in order to display his sovereign glory.
However, when Moses expresses his own self-doubts about his qualifications to fulfill God's call for his life, God responds with the promise "I will be with you." Moses recognizes his own insufficiency; Moses knows that he is not qualified to participate in God's mission, but he is given the assurance of God's presence. When Moses later finds himself leading the people of Israel through the wilderness, there will be moments of trial and temptation, but Moses will continually rely on the promise and strength of God's loving presence.
In our own lives, as we seek to be faithful to God's call, there will be times when we feel completely unqualified and ill-prepared to participate in the mission of God. There will be times when our own weaknesses and failures will cause us to doubt our ability to fully live into God's call. However, in those moments of doubt and anxiety, the promise of God remains - I will be with you. I will never leave you or forsake you. Nothing can ever separate you from my love.
As we reflect on the call of Moses, think for a moment about the experiences of failure or weakness you have experienced in your life. How have these experiences affected your relationship with God? Give thanks today that God does not call the equipped, God equips the called. You are called by God to participate in his world-changing, life-transforming mission!
A significant feature of this story is the theme of imperfect leadership. Moses, like his ancestors before him, is flawed and exhibits fear and self-doubt as he wrestles with God's claim on his life. Moses has a sordid past; he is a murderer and fugitive, and by his own admission he is not an eloquent or persuasive speaker; and yet God has chosen Moses to lead the people of Israel out of their bondage in Egypt and into the promised land, the land sworn to his ancestor Abraham. As we continue our "missional journey" through the bible, we will discover that the bible is not filled with perfect and powerful heroes, but rather God chooses what the world sees as weakness in order to display his sovereign glory.
However, when Moses expresses his own self-doubts about his qualifications to fulfill God's call for his life, God responds with the promise "I will be with you." Moses recognizes his own insufficiency; Moses knows that he is not qualified to participate in God's mission, but he is given the assurance of God's presence. When Moses later finds himself leading the people of Israel through the wilderness, there will be moments of trial and temptation, but Moses will continually rely on the promise and strength of God's loving presence.
In our own lives, as we seek to be faithful to God's call, there will be times when we feel completely unqualified and ill-prepared to participate in the mission of God. There will be times when our own weaknesses and failures will cause us to doubt our ability to fully live into God's call. However, in those moments of doubt and anxiety, the promise of God remains - I will be with you. I will never leave you or forsake you. Nothing can ever separate you from my love.
As we reflect on the call of Moses, think for a moment about the experiences of failure or weakness you have experienced in your life. How have these experiences affected your relationship with God? Give thanks today that God does not call the equipped, God equips the called. You are called by God to participate in his world-changing, life-transforming mission!
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