Have you ever had a “burning bush” moment? Maybe you’re familiar with the Bible’s story of Moses and the burning bush, but if you’re not, you’ll find it in the book of Exodus. Basically, Moses was out tending sheep when he saw a bush on fire, but it was not burning up. Weird. And then God spoke to him from the bush. Also weird. And then God told Moses that it was his job to go talk to the pharaoh of Egypt and tell him to let God’s people, the Israelites, go. To Moses, this last proclamation was even weirder than the Lord talking to him out of a burning bush. Moses decided that the Lord needed to know exactly why he was not the right man for the job. But for every excuse he gave, God gave him a promise.

God: “I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out. … So now, go. I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people out of Egypt” (Exodus 3:7,10).

Moses: “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh?” (3:11).

God: “I will be with you” (3:12).

Moses: “Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ Then what shall I tell them?” (3:13).

God: “I am who I am. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I am has sent me to you’” (3:14).

Moses: “What if they do not believe me or listen to me?” (4:1).

God: “Here are a few miraculous signs I will give you to do” (paraphrase from 4:2-9).

Moses: “I have never been eloquent. … I am slow of speech and tongue” (4:10).

God: “Who gave human beings their mouths? … Is it not I, the Lord? … I will help you speak and will teach you what to say” (4:11,12).

Moses: “Please send someone else” (4:13).

God (getting a wee bit righteously angry now): “What about your brother, Aaron the Levite? I know he can speak well. He is already on his way to meet you. … I will help both of you speak and will teach you what to do” (4:14,15).

Five excuses. Five answers. And with each answer, a promise to guide, direct, teach, supply, show up, and back up miraculously. And, spoiler alert, God kept his promises. Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh. Pharaoh wasn’t always a nice audience for them and did not like their message, but God did not leave Moses and Aaron alone. God gave them the words to say. God showed up in a miraculous way, and he guided them and his people out of Egypt and to the Promised Land.

Have you ever had a burning bush moment? Maybe the Lord hasn’t spoken to you from a flaming hydrangea, but we all have jobs to do. We all have a calling. Before Jesus ascended into heaven, he gave his disciples what we call the Great Commission: “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you” (Matthew 28:19,20).

Jesus was essentially saying: “I have indeed seen the misery of my people. I have heard them crying out. So now, go. I am sending you to bring my people out of this sinful world and into the promised land of heaven.”

Like Moses, we might be ready with our excuses: Who am I? What should I say? What if they don’t listen to me? I’m not a good speaker. Lord, please send someone else!

But God responds every time with a promise: I will go with you. I will help you speak. I will teach you what to do. Show them my miracles. I AM WHO I AM.

 In fact, the Great Commission at the end of the book of Matthew doesn’t stop with the command. Instead it finishes with a promise: “And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Matthew 28:20).

And, spoiler alert, God keeps his promises. He laid down his life because he said he would. He did the hard work; it’s all done for us. And how can we not share that good news? How can we ignore the burning bush and the voice of the Lord from within it? God leaves us without excuse. He fully equips us, and he will be with us.

“May the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen” (Hebrews 13:20,21).