People like me

One of the things I like about reading the Bible is all the characters God chose to use. Many are people just like me. If He used them to accomplish His purposes, He can use me too.

Take Moses for instance. He started life in a very tough situation. His family was slaves and he was taken out of his home by the government when he was a small child. He murdered someone in a fit of rage and ran away - a long way away. He went from living in the king's palace to tending sheep in the wilderness. 

Then he meets God in a bush that is burning and not burning up. That would be a rather miraculous thing. God then tells him how he, Moses, is going back to Egypt as His messenger of freedom for the Hebrews. Moses is quaking in his boots at the prospect and makes all kinds of excuses for not doing what God is asking him to do even as God shows him more miracles and assures him, "I will be with you." (Exodus 3:12) Moses is unconvinced and finally says, "Oh, my Lord, please send someone else." (Exodus 4:13)

Now, I've never been a slave or lived in a palace or on the run for murder. And I've never seen the kind of miracles Moses saw. But his fear and his excuses sound like me at times. Even if I don't say send someone else out loud how many times have I ignored the urging in my spirit to do something simple like invite my neighbor to church. Or failed to intercede in prayer for someone. Or thought I'll do that later, or some day, when I know it's the next step I need to take now.

The best part of the story, though, is that despite Moses' objections and God's anger at him for his reluctance, God still uses Moses and sends his brother along with him as a helper. Moses does not have an easy time with Pharaoh or the Hebrews but God does go with him just as He said He would. Later we are told in Exodus 33:11 that "the LORD used to speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend..."

Being a friend of God is a good thing. That's another way I am like Moses; part of the good way. When I received Jesus as my Lord and Savior, I became, not only a friend of God (John 15:15) but a child of God. (John 1:12). And God is with me every step of my life. (John 14:16)