The One who Calls

Louise Gevers

“Now Moses was tending the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian, and he led the flock to the far side of the desert and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. There the angel of the LORD appeared to him in flames of fire from within a bush. Moses saw that although the bush was on fire it did not burn up. So Moses thought, ‘I will go over and see this strange sight – why the bush does not burn up. When the LORD saw that he had gone over to look, God called to him from within the bush, ‘Moses! Moses!’ And Moses said, ‘Here I am.’ ‘Do not come any closer,’ God said. ‘Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.’” Exodus 3:1-5

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 him. 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’s 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?

Prayer: Awesome, limitless God, thank You for calling ordinary people to an extraordinary life in You. Help me to hear Your call. Amen.