June 30, 2026
Tuesday, June 30
At the start of Exodus 3, the children of Israel have been slaves in Egypt for 400 years. Worse, their slavery wasn’t just for Egypt’s economic advantage; it was specifically designed to wipe out the Hebrew people. Pharaoh was simply the first of many rulers who tried to destroy these people. As a young man, Moses was passionate enough about freeing his people that he put his own life on the line, killing an Egyptian taskmaster in hopes of provoking a rebellion. But after forty years in the desert, his zeal for Israel is gone. When God appears to him in the form of a burning bush, offering him the chance to liberate his people, he makes nothing but excuses, starting with this one:
11 But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?” 12 He said, “But I will be with you, and this shall be the sign for you, that I have sent you: when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall serve God on this mountain.”
Moses’ First objection: Who am I? In the arrogance of youth, Moses saw himself as Israel’s great deliverer. Now, in his golden years, he has lost all self-confidence. The problem with his objection (which a lot of us use, as well) is that it has the veneer of humility. We say it, feeling righteous for being so self-effacing. But what we are truly displaying is a lack of faith. True, Moses never says, “God, I don’t think you’re able to accomplish this.” There’s no indication that he doubted God’s power; He just doubted God’s ability to use a loser like him.
If you know the Bible, you know that this is just one of many times when God extends His call to someone who felt unworthy: There was Gideon, the coward; Isaiah, the man of unclean lips; Jeremiah, the inexperienced kid; Mary, the virgin; Paul, the chief of sinners. If God has truly called you, your first response may be to express a sense of inadequacy, a “who am I?” That doesn’t make you unqualified. To the contrary, it seems God prefers NOT to use the self-confident.
God’s response is, in essence: “It doesn’t matter who you are; all that matters who is who I am.” His promise is, “I will be with you.” One person plus God equals a majority, every time. Then, just to make sure that Moses in the future will know that it was God who delivered the people, He foretells the day when all Israel will worship at this mountain, Sinai.
Think about this: Israel wasn’t just set free so they could call their own shots, have their own nation. They were set free to worship. That’s instructive for us as believers. When God saves us, He doesn’t just forgive our sins and give us a ticket to heaven; He frees us to truly worship Him. If there’s no yearning inside us to do that, perhaps we aren’t truly saved.
“God Almighty, you have saved me at the highest cost. I pray that my gratitude would usher in true worship, and a desire to praise you every day. In Christ’s name I pray, amen.”
Senior Pastor
First Baptist Conroe
More from Pastor Jeff at his website: jeffbergerwriting.com
