Focus

Let yourself become open to God and the knowledge that comes from the Word. Ask God for a peace at this time.

---

Read

Exodus 3:1-12 (NRSV)

Moses was keeping the flock of his father-in-law Jethro, the priest of Midian; he led his flock beyond the wilderness, and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. There the angel of the LORD appeared to him in a flame of fire out of a bush; he looked, and the bush was blazing, yet it was not consumed. Then Moses said, “I must turn aside and look at this great sight, and see why the bush is not burned up.” When the LORD saw that he had turned aside to see, God called to him out of the bush, “Moses, Moses!” And he said, “Here I am.” Then he said, “Come no closer! Remove the sandals from your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.” He said further, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God.

Then the LORD said, “I have observed the misery of my people who are in Egypt; I have heard their cry on account of their taskmasters. Indeed, I know their sufferings, and I have come down to deliver them from the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land to a good and broad land, a land flowing with milk and honey, to the country of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites. The cry of the Israelites has now come to me; I have also seen how the Egyptians oppress them. So come, I will send you to Pharaoh to bring my people, the Israelites, out of Egypt.” But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh, and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?” He said, “I will be with you; and this shall be the sign for you that it is I who sent you: when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall worship God on this mountain.”

---

Reflect

In this text is the call experienced by one of the heroes of the faith. Moses found the burning bush that was not consumed and God spoke out of it. God told Moses to take off his shoes, for he was on holy ground. Maybe God wanted Moses to be in contact with the holy ground, but we don’t know.

We need also to remember that in the ancient world, only persons of the upper classes wore shoes. Slaves didn’t wear shoes. Could it be that God was telling Moses that he would have to humble himself in order to fulfill God’s call?

For Moses to succeed in fulfilling God’s call, he would have to obey God. Such unquestioning obedience was usually seen between slaves and their masters. Moses would have to be “shoeless” like a slave before God.

---

Pray

Almighty God, give us the understanding of the great power that is available to us through absolute obedience to you. Thank you for sending Jesus to purchase our redemption through his sacrifice and resurrection. May you be glorified as we attempt to live out your calling in our lives. We ask this in the name of your son, our Savior, Jesus the Christ. Amen.

Go with God.