That Catalyst

 I just love finding "new" things when I read the Bible. I"m reading it through again this year, but I've slowed down in the first few chapters of Exodus. We know God's word doesn't change, but how we see it often does. I don't know how many times I've read the account of Moses and the burning bush, but this morning, there was a phrase that caught my attention. I am reading the English Standard Version this year.

In Exodus 3, we find Moses hanging out on the back side of the desert. He is there because he killed an Egyptian and fled in fear. But here God is getting Moses' attention with a bush that is burning but not burning up. God begins telling Moses of the mission he is being sent on - go back to Egypt and get My people! Moses has all sorts of arguments, but he starts with who am I? 

In just a couple of chapters, Moses has been born, spared by being put in a basket, raised in the Egyptian pharaoh's house, realized he was not Egyptian, killed a man, and ran to the back side of the wilderness. He's also found a friend in Jethro and married his daughter, and had children. So Moses was not totally alone, even though he was separated from his family. 

We tend to ask Moses' question a lot, who am I? Why would God want to use me? How in the world could God use me? Like Moses, we don't quite fit in with any crowd or people group, and as caregivers, we often find ourselves in the back side of life's wilderness. However, I loved God's reply to Moses. Moses knows who he is not - he's not really an Egyptian, but he doesn't fit in with the Children of Israel either. Perhaps he suffered from some identity crisis. Who knows?

God's answer is not grammatically correct. Lol. (Yes, I am the grammar police!) His reply to Moses' question started with, But I will be with you... Everyone knows you're not supposed to start a sentence with and or but. Lol. God did. I don't know for sure, but I'm pretty certain that Moses was feeling a bit overwhelmed by the situation. Can't we relate to that? God did not reaffirm Moses' list of whys. He didn't even acknowledge Moses' shortcomings. He simply said - But I will be with you...

That phrase this morning was a catalyst for my emotions. Just knowing that no matter where life takes me or what it throws at me - God willingly walks through it with me. Now, thankfully, He's not sending me on some big mission. But He has got me caring for one of His kids, as are you. It's safe to assume that He is with us too!

Today, I will remind myself that God's "but" can change my circumstances too. I'll meditate on how He chooses to be with us - like, on purpose, even. He's with us because He wants to be. No one is coercing or convincing God that we need Him here - He chooses to say to us today - But I will be with you. And in that truth, I can choose to rest in Him and trust Him for one more day on the back side of the wilderness. Will you join me?