Moses a friend of God.

The Israelites had been slaves in Egypt for over 500 years. They were being treated with brutality by the Egyptians and forced to do hard labour.

The Israelite men were increasing in numbers and the Pharaoh begun to fear that they might take over Egypt by force, so he decided that all the Hebrew new born male babies should be killed.

Moses’ mother wrapped him in a blanket and placed him in a basket on the River Nile.  Then she gently pushed the basket to flow on the river. She carefully watched where it would eventually stop.  She was completely trusting in God for the child’s safety.

The Pharaoh’s daughter heard a baby crying amongst the bushes.  When she saw the baby she felt sorry for him.  She picked up the baby and saw it was a Hebrew baby. She called over a Hebrew woman to look after the child.

Unknown to her the Hebrew woman she called over happened to be Moses’ mother. Moses was brought up by his own mother. This was incredible because it showed that God was completely in control of Moses’ life.

While Moses was enjoying the privileges of being in the Egyptian Palace. His own people were suffering under the hands of the Egyptians.  They were waiting for God to send a deliverer to rescue them from the brutality of the Egyptians.

One day Moses saw a Hebrew man being mistreated by an Egyptian man.  He became so angry at what he saw that he killed the Egyptian man and ran away.

Moses the prince of Egypt was now homeless in a desert. The circumstances of his life had suddenly changed. He was no longer in control of his life. The plans he had for his life had come to an end.

He must have thought that his destiny would now never be completely known.  After all, he had let himself down and his people whom he was suppose to have delivered from the Egyptians.
He joined a group of people called the Midians in the desert and spent 40 years looking after the sheep. Until one day he saw a bush burning near the mountain of God. He looked at the bush and thought to himself, this is strange. It is on fire but yet it is not burning.  He took a closer walk towards it.

God called out to Moses. “Moses, Moses, do not come any nearer. The ground you are standing on is holy ground. Take off your sandals.”

Moses took off his sandals. “I am the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. I want you to go back to Egypt and rescue my people. I have seen their suffering.”

(Moses thought to himself how I can go back to Egypt.  I killed a man there and I have let my own people down.)

Moses replied, I am nobody and I have never been a good speaker and besides who am I to say to Pharaoh, let my people go.”

God said to Moses, “What have you got in your hands?”

“A stick,” replied Moses.

God said, “Throw it to the ground.” When Moses threw it to the ground it immediately turned into a snake and Moses ran away from it.

God said to Moses “Pick it up again.” When Moses picked it up, it turned back into a stick.

God said to Moses, “Put your hand in your shirt and then take it out.” Moses put his hand in his shirt and when he took it out it was leprous.

God said, “Now put it back into your shirt and take it out again.” When Moses took his hand out again. It was completely healed.

Moses believed in God and his power and went back to Egypt. God rescued his people by great miracles.

Moses may have given up on himself but God never gave up on him. This is also true for you and me that God never gives up on us.  God can meet you and me at whatever situation we find ourselves in today just as he met with Moses.

We all need the “burning bush” experience when God comes to meet us at the point of our need.

Moses became to be known as a Friend of God. A man who spoke to God as if he was speaking to a close Friend. The good news for us is that we can also become Friends of God and talk to God as a friend. (The story of Moses is found in the Bible in the book of Exodus in the Old Testament).

Prayer.
Dear God,
You appeared to Moses,
And called him by name.
Please also appear to me.
And call me by my name
I want to hear your voice
I also want to be known as
A friend of God.
I ask this in Jesus name.
Amen
         By Harbajan (servant of Jesus) 

 By Harbajan (servant of Jesus) 14/01/2013