Some things really did stand out to me though, despite all the distractions. First, I was really struck by the enormity of the Pharaoh's edict, throw all the boys into the Nile, but the girls... they're ok. He probably should have thought better of that. The girls were the ones who turned out to be the problem - Moses' mom and Miriam... anyway, I can only imagine what Moses' mother felt. The NRSV says that she saw "he was a fine baby" so she hid him. I think it was the simple fact that this mother loved her child and didn't want to kill him. She did what she could and to make sure the little baby was ok, his sister watched over him. She was right there when Pharaoh's daughter found him. "Shall I go and get you a nurse from the Hebrew women?" Of course. And so Moses' mother got to raise her own child, in part, for a time. I'm sure she did all the things a mother would do, assure Moses that she loved him, that he was special and that he had a people. I would have if he were my son.
I think Moses was pretty content in his life as a shepherd and then God in his way, shakes things up. Now I don't know about you, but if I saw a burning bush that wasn't really burning, I would be freaked out. I'm not sure if I would run away or if curiosity would win out. I'm pretty sure when I started to hear a strange voice, I would run. Or I might just stick around to find out what's up. Moses does and his life is changed forever.
God calls Moses and his response is very much my own. "God I really appreciate all you are and all you're doing, but do you really think you have the right person? I don't feel like the right person. I think you must mean someone else, please pick someone else." God, of course is ever patient and prods us along until we're really ready to embrace the calling he's placed on us.
Moses was scared at first. It shows in his response to God, but as the plagues wear on and as he faces Pharaoh and his hardness again and again, he becomes accustomed to the Power of God. God starts off by saying, tell Aaron to say... By the end, God simply says, tell Pharaoh... and he does. It's not an arrogance, although it could very well become that and I think later on Moses does become arrogant, but really I think it is becoming familiar with the fact that God is who He says He is and He's gonna do what He says He's gonna do. It is a powerful thing to follow the Almighty, Amazing God. Moses recognized that and I think he found comfort in it, especially when everything and everyone was against him. It's pretty cool to be in an intimate relationship with the Creator of the Universe.
Lord I pray that I may never harden my heart toward you like Pharaoh, but that I'd take a chance with a burning bush like Moses.
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