Exodus 3

I've written on Exodus 3 and heard about Exodus 3 many times that I can regurgitate something without rereading the passage. And sometimes that can happen to us, where we become familiar with something that we don't expect to learn or experience anything new. We rely on the old, but God is always going to the next, doing something new.

It takes humility and a working sense of wonder or expectation to be surprised; to let go of the old and lean into the unknown. To say, "Here I am," with an open and willing heart. To not get sucked into the comfort of yesterday.

I could go on with the analogies, but I'll stop to say that the word, God's word is alive and well. It's been approached a hundred billion times and it's as fresh as when God first spoke, "Let there be light." If you allow it, the bible won't become a routine. It's too sharp for that.

Talking about routine, Moses is stuck in one. He tends to his father-in-law's sheep until he sees a burning bush. And not one to mind his own business, Moses draws close to the phenomenon because the bush is on fire but not burning up.

Nosy man!

When he draws close, God calls out and orders him to remove his sandals because he just entered a holy space; he just entered the Holies of Holy.

(Because of the cross, I pray that we all realize that because God chooses to rest in us, we are holy; we are set apart not because of anything we do or anything we are but because He is here in us. We are not ordinary humans taking up space. We are His home.)

Then God shares with Moses that He's heard and seen what His people have gone through, and He plans on sending Moses down there to set everything straight.

Next, Moses says what anyone in their "right" mind would say when the Creator extends an invitation to join Him on a thrilling (horrifying) adventure: "Who me?"

And God says, "I will be with you," but He also says the best line I think He has ever said when Moses asks for a calling card. With these next few words, I see God speaking into a mega phone and dropping it because what else needs to be said when He says this: "I  AM WHO I AM."

Chills. every. single. time.

It's a full explanation even when it feels like it's not.

He is who He is.

He's the one that has seen that and has heard this and still chose to send His Son to the cross to die for a sinner like me and you.

He's the one who does exceedingly and abundantly all that we can ask or think. He is better than we've imagined too.

He's the one who spoke the world into existence, and at the mention of His name, all knees will bow down and all tongues will confess that He is Lord because there is no one like Him anywhere else in the universe.

And so much more. His name holds all that, all of His story, His being, His power.

Yahweh: I AM WHO I AM.

And He comes in the form of a burning bush to meet with a man who, as we will see next chapter, has written himself off.

But we'll see that God has a plan.

Remember that the next time He asks you to come along with Him on a journey you don't feel quite equipped to do.