Bible Society of South Africa

Moses, part of God’s plan: God hears the call from slaves – 5 May 2022

By Carina Francke

Bible text(s)

Exodus 3

7Then the LORD said, “I have seen how cruelly my people are being treated in Egypt; I have heard them cry out to be rescued from their slave-drivers. I know all about their sufferings, 8and so I have come down to rescue them from the Egyptians and to bring them out of Egypt to a spacious land, one which is rich and fertile and in which the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites now live.

Exodus 3:7-8GNBOpen in Bible reader

Since the beginning of time, as well as in the Old Testament dispensation, the Lord has been intimately involved with his creation. This part of Scripture vividly describes Israel’s fate and suffering. It was of such importance to God that He ‘came down’ to free them. (Exodus 3:8) The only, omniscient God sees and hears their cries for help and acts to free them from their oppressors and take them to a new land. And His plan? A man – the man Moses. A very meek man, more than all people who were on the face of the earth. (Numbers 12:3) But he was not eloquent, rather slow of speech and tongue. (Exodus 4:10) His occupation? A keeper of his father-in-law’s flock. (Exodus 3:1)

Not necessarily the testimonial of someone who had to lead a disheartened and downtrodden nation to a new, but unknown land of milk and honey! But God called Moses! And He helped Moses to speak up. (Exodus 4:10-11) And that is what anchored Moses’ willingness to obey – God who was with him and would be with him.

God chooses to use a man that can be used as a human representative to other people. Someone familiar with the nature of man, but despite this knowledge is still willing to sign up for the task before him. For you reading here, who may continuously be grappling with the unimportance of self, your shortcomings and inabilities, Moses’ life speaks of God’s ability to empower people, to make the impossible possible. The requirement? Your “Yes!” to the Lord! He will walk before you every step of the way.

Moses knew the One whom he agreed to serve. To the “I AM WHO I AM.” (Exodus 3:14). “The Lord, the God of your fathers – the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. (Exodus 3:15) This is his name for ever, the name by which he would be remembered from generation to generation.

Do you know that you, too, may call on God? Your hardships never pass by God unseen. He knows about you! If you feel rejected in times of light and joy, but also in days of darkness and misery, rest assured – he knows about you! On those days that life and its burdens leave you dumbstruck, do what Psalm 50:15 advises: “[C]all upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me.”

But did you know that he wants to use you too? You are part of His plan: for that lonely individual that crosses your path some days; for the family that struggles to make sense of the chaos in their lives; and for the surrender of your own insecurities and homecoming – to His plan for your life.

Dear reader, God has never changed. He is still the One that intensely takes note of people. He hears your pain and sighs. Yes, He also hears your cries of distress. But He does not leave it there. He acts because you, the individual, are part of His plan!

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank you that you accept the faintest distress call from your children as melodious sounds. Open our ears and awaken our humanity so that we do not miss your involvement in our lives. Amen

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