A Pause To Ponder
"Who? Me!"

Forty years earlier, Moses' eyes were opened to the cruel oppressive treatment of his people. While making an attempt to do something about it, Moses killed an Egyptian. He had to flee for his life. The once son of Pharaoh, now a fugitive caring for sheep in the wilderness, stands barefoot before a burning, but not being consumed, bush, listening to God. The news is wonderful. God tells Moses that He has seen the suffering of His people, heard their cries and has come down to rescue
them. God reveals his plan to take His people out of Egypt to a land flowing with milk and honey.

 The news resounds in Moses' ears like the celebrative ringing of church bells. He has not forgotten. The many miles and years have not erased the sight and sounds from his mind. God had come and would rescue them!  He was about to shout Hallelujah when he heard God say, " So now, go. I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people out." Moses swallowed the hallelujah. "Who am I, that I should go?" he asked. You wonder if he wanted to say, "Hey God, I thought You said that YOU had come down to rescue them!" Moses had come face to face with an astounding reality - God uses His people to accomplish His work. God was going to rescue His people and give them a land flowing with milk and honey. And He was going to do it through Moses. His command to Moses was accompanied through the promise - "I will be with you!" (Exodus 3:12)

 The frightened disciples had locked themselves in the upper room. Jesus had been crucified and they were sure they were next. The risen Lord came to them. Giving them peace, He said, "As the Father as sent me, I am now sending you." (Sound familiar?) The disciples came face to face with an astounding reality - God uses His people to accomplish His work.  Jesus breathed upon them and said, "Receive the Holy Spirit." (John 20:21) Their minds surely went back to the moments just before His death when Jesus promised that He would not leave them as orphans, but that He would come to them. The Father would send them the Holy Spirit who would abide in them. His promise - "I will be with you!"

 God has not changed His ways. As incredible as it may be, God uses His people to accomplish His work. His promise - "I will be with you." Why does God do it this way when He could do it so much better Himself? C. S. Lewis contemplated this same thought stating; "He [God] seems to do nothing for Himself which He can possibly delegate to His creatures. He commands us to do slowly and blunderingly what He could do perfectly and in a twinkling of an eye. Creation seems to be a delegation through and through. I suppose this is because He is a giver." A giver He is, but it still is hard to make sense of His method. But making sense of God's way is not what we need to do. What we need to do is receive His Spirit and get down to Egypt! We cannot shirk this responsibility. All of His people are sent. Granted, God does set some apart with a specific calling.  Nevertheless, all are sent; all are ministers; He uses all of His people. He is with us and His presence makes it all possible.
We "can do all things through Christ who gives us the strength." Moses did.  The disciples did. In Christ we can.

 "Who! Me?" you ask. Yes, you! Now go and remember He will be with you!

Keep Close To Jesus
Pastor Gerry


A Pause To Ponder God's Word is written and distributed by Gerald Whetstone, Ordained Elder and teacher in the Church of the Nazarene. These devotionals may be transmitted, duplicated, used in part or in entirety without permission for nonprofit purposes only. Responses welcome. To Subscribe Click Here.
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