Here I Am
Discussion Episode
Scripture
Key Point
Moses responded to God by saying, “Here I am.” God calling us is a huge deal. We need to be ready and willing to respond to God with the same willingness Moses had.
About the Story
Our lesson for today will be coming in Exodus 3 – 4:17 – The lesson is a response to God or a posture we can take – “Here I Am” – but I will sum up the first few chapters now.
Pharoh and Israel
First, the name Exodus refers to the leaving or… exiting of a people group. This group we will see is the Israelites in this story. The Israelites were multiplying and prospering as a blessing from God and had large numbers within Egypt.
This frustrated or scared Pharaoh, with the increasing numbers of Isrealites. So we see Pharoah, early on in Exodus, Enslave the Israelite people. Pharaoh forces them to work and commands that all the male, israelite babies are drowned in the Nile river.
WOW, Pharaoh does not seem like a guy you would want to make angry!
You would not! Pharaoh could hardly tell the difference between right and wrong or good and bad. His greed and power blinded him.
The Israelite people, who are descendants of Abraham, and who have been blessed by God to multiply and prosper, cry out to God! They ask God to save them from this horrible situation.
Moses and Mom
To which God responds amazingly. This is where the author introduces the reader to Moses. His mother, an Israelite woman, was ordered to drown her baby son. However, going against the orders of Pharaoh, she sets her son in a basket and lets him float down the river.
This is crazy! She gives up her son!
Yeah, it’s an act of complete desperate love! She sends him away hoping and praying that something, somehow will be better!
As baby Moses was sent down the river floating in a basket, thankfully, downstream, a woman eventually picked him up. Not knowing where this child is from, she takes compassion and pity on the child and takes him in as her own. This woman is Pharaoh’s daughter! She named him Moses and raised him as Egyptian royalty!
Moses should have drowned in a river by order of Pharah. Instead, the princess raised him as royalty!
A Young Man
From there, things really pick up! Moses grows into a young man and recognizes the hurt and suffering the Israelite people are going through under the rule of Pharaoh and in the hands of the Egyptian people.
How does he respond to seeing all that hatred and hurt people?
Well… not overly well. I mean, I think Moses felt great sorrow for the people under slavery. One day he saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew man, so he steps in. Although, this altercation, or fight, ends up with Moses killing the Egyptian man. Not a good thing to be a prince, killing your own people, to save the life of a slave! At that time slaves were property, belonging to another person.
The Egyptian people were immediately angry! Pharaoh ordered the execution of Moses once he heard what had happened! So Moses naturally flees for his life. Leaving behind his title of prince and royal upbringing. Very, and honestly, it just keeps going! Moses ended up in the town of Midian, married, and became a shepherd.
I long for that type of response – Here I am – As if to be a kid back on the playground picking teams! Hand up in the air, Pick me, Pick me!! The idea of being excited to be on a team, on God’s team!
Application
In so many ways, Moses steps into this conversation with God, fully open to the path that God has planned. It doesn’t mean that he doesn’t have questions. We read about a few he asks, but as we will see here, and in the weeks to come, Moses, really without much hesitation, allows himself to be guided by God.
I long for that type of response – Here I am – As if to be a kid back on the playground picking teams! Hand up in the air, Pick me, Pick me!! The idea of being excited to be on a team, on God’s team!
I love that picture, so good! I agree, Moses response seems so simple, yet it is so hard not to get scared. Our worry, what-if questions may try and convince us not to follow the promptings or guidance of God!
We see this conversation between Moses and God conclude with Moses stepping into his calling from God. The calling to lead the Israelite people, who are currently slaves, out of Egypt, to freedom and eventually to the promised land. A land of safety, God’s provision, and abundance for the people of God!
