“Then the Lord said, “I have surely seen the affliction of my people who are in Egypt and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters. I know their sufferings, “ Exodus 3:7 ESV
My wife and I were enjoying a drive to the apple orchard with our daughter-in-law and granddaughter. On the way, we played the game, “I Spy”. I could not believe how good my 3-year-old grandchild was at this game. Her and her mom have obviously played this before. The key to the game is when it is your turn, you tell the others playing you see something with a certain color or other description and then they must find it. It is a good thing that we played this game about the same time kids were coming home from school. We saw a lot of yellow school buses. Those were easy for Pa Pa.
When God met Moses at the burning bush, God saw something Moses did not. What God saw was not a game. In fact, what God saw and heard moved Him to meet with Moses in this desert encounter. God wanted to share with Moses what He saw and what He wanted to do about it.
The Bible describes the relationship that would come from this one-on-one meeting at the bush. Later in this relationship, it would be described as God talking with Moses as a friend. When these conversations took place, the glory of God showed up and it was all Moses. So much, that he had to wear a veil to cover his face because he lit up like a light bulb. The bush that burned later in the relationship turned into a tent of meeting that glowed with the glory of God. Often when God met with Moses it was to tell him what He saw and what He wanted to do. In these intimate meetings, God spoke to Moses about God’s plans for God’s people.
God saw the suffering of His people. God heard their cries for help. Could God have just breathed out of His nostrils the delivering wind that would usher His people out of slavery? Yes. He could do that. In fact, a little later He uses that wind to drive back the sea so they can walk to the other side on dry ground. But the task at hand needed a missionary to fulfill the mission. God saw the problem. God met Moses to go with Him to take care of the problem.
Something simple to remember. God sees the need, and He sends you and I to meet it.All through scripture this is the plan. The Book of Acts is full of God’s people responding to the need God revealed. A Eunuch visiting from his home country of Ethiopia was reading scripture from Isaiah that he did not understand. God saw it so he sent Phillip to the chariot to explain. The result… salvation and water baptism. God saw a gentile household who needed Jesus. He approached Peter and through multiple visions, Peter was sent by God and Cornelius’ household was saved.
As believers, we are sent by God to the need God sees. When we walk with God, we do not just stumble onto opportunities. I do not think we show up to God and say, “Hey, did you know about this need?” and He answers, “I had no idea. Way to go!” Instead, I wonder what our lives and our mission and purpose would look like if we intentionally met with God for the purpose of hearing what He wants us to go and do. How much more effective could we be with our lives, our families and our ministries?
Moses went from a bush in the desert to Pharoh’s court in Egypt with a mission commissioned by God. As we follow God, imagine where we may be sent to do what God wants done.
Comentarios