*Day 8 - Moses Part 1*

Today’s story is about an unlikely hero, who was also a shepherd – Moses

Several years after Joseph's family moved to Egypt, the people of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob were named the Hebrews. Long after Joseph had passed away, a pharaoh began to rule that didn't know of Joseph and how he had saved Egypt during the severe famine. The pharaoh hated the Hebrews because there were so many of them. Although the Hebrews were God’s chosen people, the pharaoh didn't recognize God or God's chosen people. He enslaved the Hebrews to keep them oppressed. When the Hebrews thrived even in enslavement, pharaoh began to fear they may rise up and rebel against his authority.   So he did a horrible and scary thing, he killed all the baby boys that were born into a Hebrew home.

During this time, a Hebrew woman gave birth to a little boy and she didn’t want anything to happen to him, so she made a basket, put the baby in it, and placed the basket in the river for someone to find. As providence would have it, the pharaoh’s daughter found the basket. She took mercy on the boy and raised him as her own. She named him Moses.

Although Moses was raised by pharaoh's daughter, he always knew he was a Hebrew. As he grew, Moses began to hate how badly the Hebrews were being treated. One day, he saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew. He was so upset that he hit the Egyptian and it actually killed the man. Moses was so scared, that he ran far away to the land of Midian.

While Moses lived there, the slavery of the Hebrews became increasingly worse. This upset God because the Hebrew's were his chosen people:

 24 And God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob. –Exodus 2:24

Little did Moses know that he would be used to help the Hebrews. Moses was out with his sheep one day and came upon something miraculous:

2 And the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush. He looked, and behold, the bush was burning, yet it was not consumed. -Exodus 3:2

Then God told Moses that he would be an instrument in delivering the Hebrews out of slavery in Egypt. Moses was severely concerned. He was afraid nobody would believe him. He was afraid he wouldn't speak well enough. He was scared, but God showed Moses signs and wonders that would help others to know that Moses had been sent by God.

 1 Then Moses answered, “But behold, they will not believe me or listen to my voice, for they will say, ‘The Lord did not appear to you.’” 2 The Lord said to him, “What is that in your hand?” He said, “A staff.” 3 And he said, “Throw it on the ground.” So he threw it on the ground, and it became a serpent, and Moses ran from it. 4 But the Lord said to Moses, “Put out your hand and catch it by the tail”—so he put out his hand and caught it, and it became a staff in his hand— 5 “that they may believe that the Lord, the God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has appeared to you.” –Exodus 4:1-5

10 But Moses said to the Lord, “Oh, my Lord, I am not eloquent, either in the past or since you have spoken to your servant, but I am slow of speech and of tongue.” 11 Then the Lord said to him, “Who has made man's mouth? Who makes him mute, or deaf, or seeing, or blind? Is it not I, the Lord? 12 Now therefore go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall speak.” 13 But he said, “Oh, my Lord, please send someone else.” -Exodus 4:10-13

Moses always felt out of place. When he was older, he committed a horrible crime, he ran away. Amazingly enough, God still sought Moses. Moses was a very imperfect person (aren't we all?), and he didn't think he was good enough to do something so bold for God. But God told Moses that not only was he good enough, he was going to do an incredible thing through him.

Do you ever think you couldn't be used by God? Do you ever think that your past is too bad, or you're not good enough to do what God wants you to do? Do you look around and see people doing things better than you, and discount your own abilities? Today, forget about all of that, and believe that with God, he can make anything possible. If he can speak to a man out of a burning bush, he can speak into your life too. Are you listening for him? Trust that you are good enough to do what he is calling you to do. Seek God and his will, and he will guide you and equip you for the task he will set before you. Be brave enough to walk it.

"Dear Heavenly Father, you made me. You know what I'm good at, and you know what I'm not good at. You know everything about my past and the choices I will make in the future. Help me to make good ones. Help me to make choices that reflect what you want. Make me brave. Show me what you want me to do, and make me courageous enough to do whatever that might be. Moses didn't think he was good enough to be a hero. Sometimes I don't think I'm good enough to do things either. But God, you gave Moses all the tools he would need to accomplish the task you gave him. Show me what you want me to do, and then help me to do whatever that may be. Help me to be obedient, and give me strength to do whatever it is you may want of me. In Jesus' name, amen."