ANY OLD BUSH WILL DO
From Exodus 3:11, 13 we read these words, “And Moses said unto God, Who am I, that I should go unto Pharaoh, and that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt? … And Moses said unto God, Behold… they shall say to me, What is his name? what shall I say unto them? And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM… Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you.”
ANY OLD BUSH WILL DO. There are two questions Moses asked in our verses for today that, to me, are some of the most important questions in all the Bible. But before we think about those questions, just picture what was going on in this passage of Scripture. Moses is about eighty years old… a shepherd… living a simple life in the wilderness on the backside of nowhere. Day after day, nothing unusual going on, just routinely tending his father-in-law’s sheep . Then suddenly, something catches his attention. He sees a bush on fire, but it isn’t burning up. As Moses draws closer, God speaks to him from that bush and gives him an assignment that stunned him. The Lord told him, “Go to Pharaoh… and bring My people out of Egypt.” Can you imagine how impossible that must have felt? And that’s when the questions begin. FIRST QUESTION: “WHO AM I?” Moses asks in Exodus 3:11, “Who am I, that I should go unto Pharaoh?” In other words, “Lord, You’ve got the wrong guy! This is too big for me! Who am I to do something like this?” If we’re honest, haven’t we all asked that same question at times? “Who am I to handle this situation?” “Who am I to step into this responsibility?” “Who am I to make a difference?” What’s interesting to me is that God never really answers Moses’ question about himself. Why? Because it really didn’t matter who Moses was. What mattered was Who would be with him. That burning bush had to have been an amazing sight, but that wasn’t the real miracle. The real miracle was that God was in the bush. When you think about it, God could have used any old bush to reveal His glory. SECOND QUESTION: “WHO ARE YOU?” This question is the one that truly mattered. Moses asks, “What is Your name?” And God answers, “I AM THAT I AM… Tell them I AM has sent you.” I love that name God gives for Himself here… “I AM.” That name is like an unfinished sentence. “I AM… “ It’s as if God is saying, “I AM whatever you need Me to be!” “I AM present in every moment!” “I AM sufficient for every challenge you will face!” “I AM able in every difficulty that comes against you!” God was reminding Moses, “When you stand before Pharaoh, you won’t stand there alone. I AM will be with you!” And can I remind you of something? One plus God is always a majority. OUR STRUGGLE TODAY.
The truth is, we wrestle with the same thing Moses did. We spend so much time asking, “Am I strong enough?” “Am I capable enough?”
“Do I have what it takes?” And if we’re being honest, the answer is no. I know in my own life, I don’t have what it takes in my own strength to face everything that comes my way. And neither do you. But that’s not the real question. The real question is: Who is God? And the answer hasn’t changed! He is still the great I AM! Amen?!
MY CHALLENGE TO YOU. Whatever you’re facing today, it’s not your ability, your strength, or your wisdom that will carry you through. It’s Who is with you that makes all the difference. Jesus said, “I am with you always, even unto the end of the world” (Mt. 28:20). So instead of focusing on your weaknesses, focus on His strength. Stop thinking about all the reasons you can’t…and start trusting the One who says, “I AM.”
When God calls, He also enables. When He sends, He also goes with you. Remember, it wasn’t the bush that made the difference… it was God in the bush! And the truth is, God is still looking for people today He can fill with His presence and use for His glory. You may feel inadequate and weak. You may feel unqualified. You may feel like nothing more than “just a bush” in the desert of life. But when the great I AM moves in, look out! The ordinary becomes extraordinary. And that’s the message to carry with you today: If He is in it…if He is with you…if He is the One sending you…any old bush will do! Think it over…🙏