This morning as I sat in church listening to a sermon on the meeting of Moses and God in the Burning Bush, it impacted me in ways that it never had before when I had read it. To understand the framework, we have to understand where Moses came from and how he got to this point. Then, what he says, and how God answers is something that changed my life today. It can surely change yours as well.

    Moses, as most of you know, came from a Hebrew home during the captivity of the children of Israel by Egypt, which had lasted for over 400 years. The Israelites lived in Goshen, which was originally given to them by Pharoah at Joseph's behest. Over time, Pharoahs came in Egypt who forgot Joseph, and they eventually enslaved the Israelites.
    Through God, the Israelites looked for a Deliverer, who would bring them out of captivity, into a land "flowing with milk & honey." The Israelites toiled making mud bricks and building Pharoahs treasure cities, hoping for the promised deliver.
    Soon after Moses was born, the hope of the Israelites reached the ears of Pharoah, who declared that all male children up to two years of age among the Israelites would be slaughtered. Mose's mother instead placed Moses in a reed basket, which floated upon the Nile, and bade Miriam to watch what happened. The basket was found by the daughter of Pharoah, who was herself childless, and she decided to raise the infant.
    Interestingly enough, this foreshadowed the promise of the Deliverer of Sin, for whom Herod the King commanded all children in Bethlehem to be slaughtered up to the age of two. Jesus escaped because Mary and Joseph fled to Egypt.
    Moses grew up without want, with all the richness that Egypt could provide it's nobility with. Moses spent the first forty years of his life in Pharoah's household, denied nothing. When he finally discovered his Hebrew roots, his life would change and become far, far worse.
    Seeing one of his fellow Israelites being beaten by an Egyptian overseer, he killed the man, then fled to the backside of the desert. There, he met Jethro, a Midianite, and married one of his daughters. Moses had gone from living as a Prince in Egypt to father-in-law's sheepherder. And so he was when he found God in the Burning Bush.
    In Exodus we find this beginning in Chapter 3....

  Exodus 3:9 �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.

    God tells Moses that He will be sent to Pharoah to deliver the Israelites. Note the first question that Moses asks God....

  11 �And Moses said unto God, Who am I, that I should go unto Pharaoh, and that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt?

    Who am I? But more likely, "Who am I, one who is living in this backdesert so far from your will? Who am I, Lord?" Have you ever asked yourself that question when God moved you to do something or say something to someone? But notice God's answer to Moses...

  12 �And he said, Certainly I will be with thee; and this shall be a token unto thee, that I have sent thee: When thou hast brought forth the people out of Egypt, ye shall serve God upon this mountain. 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?

    God has made his choice of a Deliverer, and answers only that "I will be with thee..." Though we know that God is always with us and around us and that He will never fail us or forsake us, don't we sometimes wonder if He is or will be with us in what we are supposed to do for Him? Don't we of little faith sometimes doubt God in the very next trial right after He miraculously delivered us from the last one?
    But notice Moses next question.... "Who are you?" "Are you big enough to stand up to Pharoah, who is the most powerful man on earth?" Of course God is big enough....but do we really realize that when it's us thick in the trial or tribulation?
    Later, in Exodus 4:1-9, Moses tells God that they still won't believe him, even if He knows the name of God. So God takes Moses rather ordinary staff and does something extraordinary with it. He takes Moses rather ordinary hand, and does something extraordinary with it. He even takes ordinary water, and does something extraordinary with it.
    We've all seen the extraordinary things of God, at least those of us who are truly seeking His face and His will....and yet, even after seeing and going through extraordinary, unexplainable things, we still can doubt in a heartbeat. We can doubt God, we can doubt ourselves, we can doubt our abilities and talents, we can even feel that God is not with us or near us. We can feel just like Moses....

  10 �And Moses said unto the LORD, O my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither heretofore, nor since thou hast spoken unto thy servant: but I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue.

    How many times have we felt ourselves that we just weren't good enough for God? How many times have we said or felt that we weren't ready, that we needed to do something or get rid of something in our lives to be useful to God &/or do His will? And yet here, God is going to use Moses JUST LIKE HE IS...no changes necessary. And God can and will use you JUST LIKE YOU ARE....no changes necessary...well, right this minute anyway. If you truly love the Lord your God with all your heart, those changes will come...but they will be in God's timing. He can use you just like you are right now, and also you can do God's Will right now, just as you are.
    No one should have to tell you that you can never be good enough or do enough to be good enough in your own merit to do God's will. We've all fallen short of the glory of God. All of our righteousness is as filthy rags. It is rather in our weaknesses that we are made strong...in our imperfections that we become more Christ-like. Paul states just that in 1st Corinthians 15:42-44...

  1 Corinthians 15:42 �So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption: 43 �It is sown in dishonour; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power: 44 �It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body.

    We don't come into our walk with God bright and perfect and ready to go. We come in our imperfections and our foibles and faults and frailties. Yet God can use us and empower us and anoint us to do His will, for the glory of God! And, in our weaknesses and by submitting to Him, we become strong. And yet, how we continue to hide in our comfort zones, rather than take those steps into the unknown that will give us spiritual growth, those steps into the unknown that lead to peace and assurance, and that lead to God's blessings on our lives....but take comfort, even Moses did that....

  13 �And he said, O my Lord, send, I pray thee, by the hand of him whom thou wilt send. 14 �And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Moses....

    Even knowing the will of God, even knowing that God was specifically preparing him to go and do God's will, and even though Moses knew God would go with him, even then; Moses doubted. His words ring so hollowly... "Oh, my Lord, sounds like a good idea to go and free the Children of Isreal...yeah, a very good idea. My prayer is that you will send someone, by the hand of him whomever You wish to send (so long as it's not me)." How many times have we done that ourselves, and missed God's will. How many callings of God have we missed in our life due to not being willing to step out of our comfort zones?
    How many times have we said, "Yes, God, by all means, send someone to say or do something to bring that person to you (as long as it's not me)?" We end up with so much guilt over what we didn't do, what more we could have done, and what we did instead, because we are not on guard for God's timing and God's will.
    So, my challenge for you today, dear sisters and brothers in Christ, is to say a resounding "YES!" when He calls you, when He speaks those still, quiet words into your heart and soul. To bravely step out on faith, into the unknown, knowing that the glory of God is with you, and is your rear guard. If we all start doing that, what glorious things can be accomplished in our lives and in the Kingdom of God?
    I pray today that we don't huddle down in our comfort zones when God calls, but rather to be ready and enabled to do whatever it takes to please God, even unto laying down our lives for Him. I've made it my personal challenge to do so, and I hope you will also do so...what great things we can accomplish, if we will only take the focus off us and our imperfections, and put the focus on God and His enablement. Have a great day in the Lord!