Tag: Call

Moses – His Recall

Published on by James Travis1 Comment

After being given the ability to do powerful signs in Exodus 4.1-17, Moses is now recalled to God’s people in Egypt.

“Go back to Egypt, for all the men who were seeking your life are dead.”

Exodus 4.19

Moses is then told to do before Pharaoh all the miracles that I have put in your power (v.21). A way has been prepared for Moses, and he is recalled to use the abilities that God has given him. Having spent time away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life, Moses now is recalled to put his God-given abilities to work. 

Reading this we cannot escape the similarities with the preparation and recall of Jesus. He also spent time in the wilderness (Luke 4.1), was also presented with an opportunity to respond (Exodus 3.4-6, Luke 4.1-13), and afterwards was recalled to begin the work for which He had been prepared (Luke 4.14-15).

I believe that God still uses this process today, and will for you when your life is totally and wholeheartedly submitted to Him. Paul experienced this (Acts 26.12-32, Galatians 1.11-17), and I believe that God will use this process with you; the call, the preparation, and then the recall.

Maybe you don’t need to go hang around in Arabia for three years as Paul did (Galatians 1.17-18), or be tested in the wilderness for forty days as Jesus was (Luke 4.2), but there will be a call for you, there will be a time of preparation for you, and then there will be a recall for you, where you are given the task.

If you are journaling along with this series, try this today – when was my call, have I been prepared, have I been recalled yet?

Moses – His Caller

Published on by James TravisLeave a comment

As we continue in Exodus 3, we see who calls Moses. Yesterday we saw the call, today the Caller.

Then Moses said to God, “If I come to the people of Israel and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ what shall I say to them?”

God said to Moses, “I am who I am.” And he said, “Say this to the people of Israel: ‘I am has sent me to you.’”

Exodus 3.13-14

Moses then is called by the I am, YAHWEH, the One without equivalent. Moses is called by the ultimate Caller, the Caller without equal, by the One whose existence is reliant on nothing and nobody else, the One who is entirely different and set apart (v.5).

There was another who used this title, another who described themselves this way, One who identified themselves in the same terms and in doing so identifies for us who was speaking from the bush, who is the Caller. Perhaps the most well-known example is from John 8, 

Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.” So they picked up stones to throw at him, but Jesus hid himself and went out of the temple.

John 8.58-59

Upon hearing this, [the Jews] picked up stones to throw at him, because they knew this was Jesus identifying Himself as God, the great I am, YAHWEH, the LORD.

The same Caller of Moses is calling you. Jesus calls you to come to Him and drink of living water (John 7.37).

Jesus calls you to come to Him if you are weary and burdened.

Jesus calls you to come to Him and He will give you rest.

Jesus calls you to come to Him because He is gentle, humble, and in Him we find rest for our souls (Matthew 11.28-30).

The same Caller of Moses is calling you. Have you answered? Will you answer afresh today?

Send Me

Published on by James TravisLeave a comment

In the year that King Uzziah died I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and the train of his robe filled the temple. Above him stood the seraphim. Each had six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. And one called to another and said:

“Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts;

the whole earth is full of his glory!”

And the foundations of the thresholds shook at the voice of him who called, and the house was filled with smoke. And I said: “Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts!”

Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a burning coal that he had taken with tongs from the altar. And he touched my mouth and said:

“Behold, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away, and your sin atoned for.”

And I heard the voice of the Lord saying,

“Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?”

Then I said,

“Here I am! Send me.” 

In a nutshell, Isaiah announces that God’s judgment will purify Israel and prepare his people to the coming messianic king and new Jerusalem (BP).

He is commissioned, sent, with a very special and specific task. 

He thinks he is not good enough, he thinks he is unworthy, and he thinks that because he is such a sinner God could never use him. We read Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips.

Then rather than destroying him, God’s holiness purifies him, “Behold, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away, and your sin atoned for.”.

God is so good and pure and holy and just that He can give some of that to Isaiah – and He will give that to you too.

Then, the piece we want to really focus on – 

And I heard the voice of the Lord saying,

“Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?”

Then I said,

“Here I am! Send me.” 

God is looking for someone to send – “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?”

God is asking because He wants people to reach people – will you be His people?

Isn’t this amazing – God wants to use you.

God wants to send you.

God is calling you – will you answer His call?

Isaiah answered that call really strongly, didn’t he, 

“Here I am! Send me.”

Isaiah wanted to be the answer to God’s question.

He didn’t say, “Here I am, I will go.”, he wouldn’t go unless he knew he was sent by the LORD. Many are quick to say, “Here I am, I will go” but never wait for the LORD to send them (DG).

“Here I am! Send me.”

Will you say that this year?

Our 2020 focus as a church is on the part of our vision that states that we are willing to serve.

Let us make 2020 the year when we all, individually and collectively, say here I am Lord, send me.