Bravado, The Zeal Killer
“But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh, and that I should bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?’” Exodus 3:11 NKJV
We all know the story of Moses and how he got ahead of God’s plan for him to be the deliverer of His people. Acting in his own strength Moses killed an Egyptian and fled to the wilderness for 40 years. But even though Moses gave up on himself, God never gave up on either Moses or the plan and call He had for him to serve. We saw the brash young Moses before he fled Egypt. Now all these years later God appears to Moses once again at the burning bush. Where Moses had acted with great zeal and bravado in Egypt, this is a different Moses that stands before the presence of God after years in the wilderness. This is reflected in the verse above, gone is the zeal with hubris. Now we see an uncertain Moses as he asks God “Who am I…”
Is this where you find yourself today as a follower of Jesus? Do remember the fire and zeal for serving Him and fulfilling your call when you first gave your life to Jesus, but find that the initial fire has been reduced to a few smoldering embers?
God showed Moses in Exodus 4 verses one through four that He had given Moses the power and authority to act with His power. The call had never been revoked or handed away to another, it was still the call God had placed upon Moses and Moses alone. The same thing is true for you. No matter how much time has passed in your life and no matter distant the call and zeal for that call may feel they are still there for you and you alone. He has a plan for you and your life and He has called you to things that He has not called anyone else to, they are your call from Him personally.
Moses did not have to deliver the Hebrews in his own strength or ability, all Moses had to do was obey. The deliverance of the Hebrews was God’s problem, not Moses. God just needed a man that He could work through. The exact same thing is true in your life as well. Whatever is before you, it is not your problem to see that it gets done, that’s Jesus’ problem. He just needs someone to obey so that He can work through them.
What exactly is your call? Maybe it has been so long that you have forgotten or maybe you never really knew what that call was even though you felt the tug to serve Him with a purpose. If you want that fire rekindled and a reminder of what His plan is for you, you just simply spend time with Him in the Word and in fellowship and you will know. Then just obey. The power and authority are His and He has invested it in you. All you have to do is listening and obey. This is how you leave a legacy for Jesus with the service of your life.
J Todd Hostetler