Exodus 1 through 4

In the beginning of Exodus we find out that the Israelites are being oppressed. There are too many people in Egypt so if a Hebrew woman gives birth to a boy the midwives are supposed to kill it, but if a Hebrew woman gives birth to a girl, it is to live. However, the midwives did not agree with killing a boy, so the Pharaoh then ordered that all boys that are born are to be thrown into the Nile, but all girls are still to live. Some time later...a Levite woman gave birth to a baby boy. She hid him for three months, but when she couldn't any longer she put him in a basket and put it among the reeds along the bank of the Nile. Pharaoh's daughter found the baby and had it taken care of by a Hebrew woman until the baby was older and then it was brought back to her. This is when she named the boy Moses.

One day when Moses was grown up he was observing his own people working hard. While watching he noticed an Egyptian beating a Hebrew, one of his own people. Noticing that no one was around he killed the Egyptian and hid him in the sand. Later on it became known to the Pharaoh that Moses had killed an Egyptian and Pharaoh wanted to kill Moses because of this. Knowing this Moses fled to a place known as Midian. Here he sat by a well, where seven daughters came to get water to tend to their fathers flock. Some shepherds came and drove them away, but Moses came to their rescue helping them tend to the flock. He was then invited to their home and one of the fathers daughter was given to Moses as a wife. During this time the Israelites groaned because they were in slavery...they cried out to God and He was concerned for them.

Moses tended to his father-in-laws flock and one day when he lead the flock to the far side of the desert he came to Horeb, which is the mountain of God. Here is where the angel of the Lord appeared to him in flames of fire within a bush. Moses noticed that this bush did not burn up and went to see why the bush did not burn up. When the Lord saw that Moses went over to the bush, He spoke to Him through the bush. The Lord told Moses that He was going to send him to the Pharaoh to bring His people the Israelites out of Egypt. God told Moses to go, but to God Moses said, "Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?" And God responded by telling him, "I will be with you. And this will be the sign to you that it is I who have sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you will worship God on this mountain." He told Moses to tell them that "I AM" sent Him to bring them out of their misery... God made this His promise...that He would bring His people out of their misery.

Yet, Moses wasn't sure...He asked "what if people don't believe me or listen to me?" The Lord showed that they would believe Him by miraculous signs... either his staff turning into a snake, or his hand turning into leprosy, or water turning into blood. Still Moses was hesitant...expressing that he has never been eloquent and has always been slow of speech and tongue. The Lord, however, said to him, "Who gave man his mouth? Who makes him deaf or mute? Who gives him sight or makes him blind? Is it not I, the Lord? Now go; I will help you speak and will teach you what to say." Yet, even after this Moses begged the Lord to send someone else. The Lord, however, pushed Moses forward, still telling him to go.

So Moses went back to Egypt...performing the Pharaoh all the wonders given to him by God. Yet, the Pharaoh's heart was hardened and he would not let his people go. Moses kept on trying and in the end the people of Israel believed Moses and bowed down and worshiped.

There are a few things in this story that stuck out to me. One, how the Lord spoke to Moses. At times, I believe God can only speak to me in certain ways...in simple ways. What ways I don't know, but I do know that there are times when He could be speaking to me, but it seems so unreal that I think, "this couldn't possibly be God speaking to me!" However, if God can speak to Moses through a burning bush...He can speak to me in ways that are different also. Then, I thought about how, like Moses, I don't think God could use me...could send me. Moses didn't believe He had what it took for God to use him in helping Him set His people free. He didn't believe He had the right words, but God reminded Him that HE takes care of it all. God gives us the words we need... and the words we don't need...aren't there. God gives us the gifts we need for the things He wants us to do. God gives us what we need in order to do what He asks of us. So, yes, there are times when I don't think I have what I need in order to work for God, but just like He told Moses, He will help him, He will also help me. He will also be with me. What peace that brings!