Who is God? – Day 6
The One who Calls
Um(Imi)bhalo weBhayibheli
U-Eksodusi 3
UNkulunkulu uzibonakalisa esihlahleni esivuthayo
God calling Moses to lead His people out of Egypt was a stupendous experience for Moses on all levels, and a revelation of how God works. God, not limited by earthly boundaries, called Moses supernaturally and raised him from shepherd to leader.
This passage highlights elements that are foreign to many today, despite their validity to life, ranging from the ordinary to the divine: shepherds, flocks, God, miracles, being called, respect and holy ground.
Although city-dwellers do not often think about shepherds tending flocks, a visit to the more rural areas of the country would reveal that many men and youths on the hillsides and verges are employed in this important task. In the passage, Moses, who had grown up in the Pharaoh’s palace in Egypt, is now a shepherd tending his father-in-law’s sheep. He did not know that he was actually in training for leading God’s chosen people out of Egypt and for shepherding this vast number of people across the desert!
At that stage not only had he dropped in status from prince to humble shepherd, but he was also working away from home for his family. Some people today might be able to relate. It is while humbly serving that God calls him.
Moses sees an amazing thing: a bush is burning but is not being consumed. Why? Because God is there! He is changing the natural order so that He can reveal Himself to Moses. God’s presence in this situation makes it an extraordinary experience, because He has no limits and is about to do an extraordinary work in Moses’ life. When He calls Moses by name and instructs him to take off his sandals, Moses obeys because he is standing on holy ground — he is sharing ground with God! For some this may be a strange notion.
Are we aware of the extraordinary in our lives? Do we listen for God to call our name? Are we ready for His call on our life or do we think we are too ordinary as we don’t even have a sense of who God is or, like Moses, need to go far away to have an encounter with Him? We may already be in a holy place without knowing it.
Who is God?
