by Wylie Foster
But Moses protested, “If I go to the people of Israel and tell them, ‘The God of your ancestors has sent me to you,’ they will ask me, ‘What is His Name?’ Then what should I tell them?” God replied to Moses, “I Am Who I Am. Say this to the people of Israel: I Am has sent me to you.” Exodus 3:13-14 New Living Translation
Moses who spent nearly the first 40 years of his life in Egyptian aristocracy, was incredibly athletically, very intellectual and influential. He received the best education Egypt had to offer. He was well indoctrinated with his Jewish ancestry and culture by his biological mother, and was more likely the architect of the historical pyramids (king graves) which are natural wonders of the world. However, he experienced a series of unfortunate events because he murdered an Egyptian official guard. This forced Moses to live in banishment. One day he was being told by a mysterious Voice at a burning bush, that really wasn’t burning itself (catch that) to return to the country where he was a fugitive. I am sure this was probably very intimidating at that moment from a human and emotional perspective.
That wasn’t for someone with a weak constitution like most of us!
Possibly, this was all the motivation that was necessary to resurrect the once next successor of Pharoah who had been relegated to shepherd duties which was far from prestigious to something more prominent. God, in His infinite wisdom knows that it’s practically impossible to accomplish anything for Him without Him, the True Vine. Moses caught on to this astonishing bit of information. As Moses walks with God, being much more confident & experienced, God told Him to go and lead His people. This was like a recommissioning or affirmation that he was doing what God called him to do, but this time Moses was like “please don’t send me without Your Presence”! Moses also asked God to reveal to him His Glory (the essence and totality of Who God is).
My thoughts: God knew that His name wouldn’t be enough to convince Moses, the Egyptian oppressors, or His oppressed people, that He was real. He gave Moses evidence to confirm His word. Jesus is the Word that became a living expression and took residence among us. (John 1:14). In other words, the Word became
living & active and is powerful! (Hebrews 4:12). To know His presence is to experience or operate in His power.
All too often we seek God’s presents but not His presence. We want the supernatural and not the relationship or responsibility that comes with truly knowing Him. Elisha stuck it out with Elijah who probably didn’t make the environment comfortable for him because he wanted the presence and the power of God.
When I first came to Christ, He deepened my knowledge of scripture, and knowing God’s word for me was more about having a greater intellectual capacity (an idol) rather than having a spectacular relationship with Him. I was more fascinated with what I thought I knew about Him (and specially to prove my point to others) rather than knowing Him personally, intimately, and submissively. I see this today with so many who won’t take time to “know Him and His ways” or cultivate true relationship with God. In His grace that knows no boundaries and though we should never overestimate grace (~Al Pacino in “The Godfather” sequel) knows how to get our attention and bring us to His feet.
Our life’s objective should be knowing Him. The only way to effectively “prove” Christ's existence is through an empowered life better known as “holiness”. We long more for the power to operate in the supernatural rather than the power (dunamis: dynamic & explosive) to become the sons and daughters of God through fellowship, relationship, and walking in obedience to God.
“And I continually long to know the wonders of Jesus and to experience the overflowing power of his resurrection working in me. I will be one with him in his sufferings and become like him in his death. Only then will I be able to experience complete oneness with him in his resurrection from the realm of death.” Philippians 3:10-11 The Passion Translation
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