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Our message today is by Reta Robertson, Lay Leader.

Moses Hears God’s Call

Prayer: May my words and my thoughts be acceptable to you, O Lord, my refuge and my redeemer. Amen.

When Moses was a baby, several women kept him safe from the Pharaoh’s wicked plan to harm the Hebrew boy babies.

Moses went to live in the palace with the Pharaoh. Pharaoh did not know Moses was one of the Hebrew people. When Moses grew up, he left the palace.  Moses did not like to see the Hebrew people work so hard as slaves for the Pharaoh.

Moses moved to another country and took care of sheep alone up in the hills.  Day after day, Moses tended the sheep and walked the hills. But God still had a plan for Moses. It was time for God to get Moses’ attention. It was time for Moses to remember the Hebrew people. It was time for Moses to hear about God’s plan for them.

One day while Moses was watching the sheep, he saw a bush on fire. He went to see it. The bush was on fire, but it didn’t burn up! Then Moses heard God’s voice.

“Moses! Take off your shoes,” God said. “You are in a holy place.”  Moses took his shoes off right away. God said, “Moses, go back to Egypt. Go and tell the Pharaoh to let my people leave Egypt.”

But that wasn’t Moses’ plan. Moses wanted to stay in the hills, taking care of the sheep. Moses had been away from Egypt for a long time, and he was afraid to go back. Moses wasn’t sure he could do what God was asking.

Moses said to God, “Who am I to tell the Pharaoh what to do? What if he won’t listen to me? What if the people won’t listen to me?”

But God had a plan. God said, “I will be with you. I will help you. I will bring my people out of Egypt.”

Knowing that God would be with Moses helped Moses to be brave. So Moses listened carefully to God, and did just what God said. Moses went back to Egypt to talk to the Pharaoh.

The symbol of a burning bush, speaks to God’s everlasting love and purpose.  The burning bush has become a focal symbol in many of our traditions, often seen on crests and banners.

God calls to Moses, Moses hears and responds, “Here I am”; God calls Moses to liberate the people.

The hymn, I’ll Go Where You Want Me to Go that we sang in praise singing time, reflects what God called Moses to do.

Things to think about:

1. I wonder what Moses said to Pharaoh to persuade Pharaoh to let the people go?
2. I wonder what Pharaoh said to Moses?
3. I wonder what will happen next in the story.

Prayer: Living God, burn in us a deep understanding of the ways you move through words, through others, through bushes, through us. May we be open to you and the things you are stirring in us. Amen.