Moses: I AM and I Can’t Do This

Welcome back to Time in the Word. This week we find a “chink in Moses’ armor” and listen to God mow down Moses’ excuses. God also shares with Moses his name; I AM. Please join me and turn to Exodus 3:11-22 in your Bibles, or you can digitally read the scripture here.

Way back a few weeks

If you’ve missed previous devotional episodes, you can catch them right here:

1. https://www.mandyandmichele.com/the-making-of-moses-god-speaks-through-the-burning-bush-part-two/
2. https://www.mandyandmichele.com/the-making-of-moses-god-speaks-through-the-burning-bush/
3. https://www.mandyandmichele.com/the-making-of-moses-the-desert-years/
4. https://www.mandyandmichele.com/the-making-of-moses-egyptian-to-hebrew/
5. https://www.mandyandmichele.com/the-making-of-moses/

Fear is a liar

Fear is the biggest factor that holds us back from accomplishing God-sized challenges. We fear we can’t accomplish what God has asked of us. Fear we won’t have the skills necessary. We need the who, what, when, where, and why’s answered before we even accept the challenge.

God doesn’t assign us fear. Fear comes from Satan. When God presents us with a challenge and we feel fearful, we need to stop and address each fear. Maybe fear is a good indicator that we are on the right track? We need God to help us because Satan will do anything to stop us.

Excuses, excuses

Standing barefoot before a burning bush with God speaking forth, Moses begins to give God excuse #1:

• “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh (1) and bring the Israelites out of Egypt (2)?”

God’s response: “I will be with you. And this will be a sign to you that it is I who have sent you…”

Did you see that? God completely ignored the “Why are you sending me?” and “What skills do I have to lead the Israelites out?” God said “Go! I am sending you”, and that should have been good enough. God tested Moses by giving him that command back in verse 10. Then when Moses objected and aired those objections, God used them as a way of teasing out Moses’ excuses. It’s almost as if God wanted Moses to hear himself give the excuses. God is so sneaky! “Mmm hmm. Oh sure. I see. Do go on…”

Wouldn’t it have been interesting to watch the Holy flames as Moses dithered on? Did they become more intense as Moses made his excuses? Perhaps we should be wary of sharing our excuses when God calls upon us?

Moses gives God excuse #2:

• “Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ Then what shall I tell them?”

God’s response: “I AM WHO I AM… I AM has sent you.” And then God adds, “Say to the Israelites, ‘The Lord,^[d] the God of your fathers—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob—has sent me to you. This is my name forever, the name you shall call me, from generation to generation.”

This time God gives Moses a direct answer to his question- I AM. God links the heritage of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob to seal the deal. And he tells Moses, “I AM” will be God’s name forever.

I think that God used the heritage statement for two reasons. The first reason was to remind Moses he was a Hebrew, and that Hebrew heritage was precious. The second reason was to remind the Israelites they still had the promise God gave Abraham. God had not forgotten them during their 400-year enslavement.

Thank you, for joining me here, today in Time in the Word. Join me next week as we finish up Moses’ excuses and God gives Moses signs and wonders to perform.