As a follower of Jesus, there is a call on my life; certain things for which I was created and predestined to do. As I have grown in my relationship with Him, I long to be found faithful and fulfill what He desires for me to complete. It is at that point in our walk with Him we ask, “What is it? Please show me!” And so the journey of discovery begins. We read the Bible and other books, seek wise counsel of those who are further along than we; maybe take a quiz on our gifting and try to wrestle out the nagging and ginormous question that looms over us. Some, however, will discover that we have to journey to the far side of the wilderness to encounter God and His call on our life. That is how Moses discovered God’s call and plan for his life.
The first few tales of his life read like any good drama. The family of Moses is living in Egypt. An order to the midwives is issued for them to kill any baby boys being born to Hebrew women. Because they feared God, the midwives did not do this. This is followed by a decree from the Pharaoh to throw all Hebrew boys into the Nile. It is during this time that Moses is born to his loving family. He is hid for three months and then a basket is prepared for him to hide among the reeds of the Nile while his sister stood watch to see what would happen. Here enters the Pharaoh’s daughter. She sees the baby, makes arrangements to have him cared for and then brings him to the palace to be her son. All is progressing nicely for Moses. After he had grown up, he has an encounter with an Egyptian beating a Hebrew. He kills the Egyptian and buries him. When confronted the next day by two Hebrews who saw, He flees to Midian. Here he helps some young women with watering their sheep after traveling shepherds harass them. He is invited to stay, marries and has a son. Being a part of this family, he takes to tending sheep. This duty is what eventually takes Moses to the far side of the wilderness.
On the far side of the wilderness, there is a mountain of God named Horeb. It is here that the angel of the LORD appears in flames of a bush on fire. I wonder if he knew this was the mountain of God. Did he go there in hopes of an encounter? Somehow, he ended up there and has an encounter. This fire garners his attention and he goes to approach. This is when God called to him. Moses responds with the statement, “Here I am.” Being alone, on the far side of the wilderness, we may wonder what our response would be to a voice coming from a bush that is on fire but not being consumed by it.
I, too, have experienced the far side of the wilderness. I found God ready to speak to me and share His call for my life as well. This wilderness is a place of isolation, separation, and barrenness. There is little to look at, little to do and no one with whom to share the experience. We know that Moses was familiar with “his” people. I assume he knew the stories that had been passed down from generation to generation. If this be the case, he may have been seeking God out on this far side of the wilderness. I know I was searching for Him on my journey. I am so thankful that He declares to us, “I will be found by you.” (Jeremiah 29:14)
Part of Moses’ story is shared with us. It is pretty intimate. He struggles with what God is asking of him. He has a past like we do. He was hiding, as we sometimes do. Yet, all of this sets an adventure and story of a lifetime in motion. Only pieces of my story have been shared. I, also, have struggled with what God is asking of me in light of my past and what I want to hide, but my adventure seems to be only beginning. I can only hope that I have the privilege to encounter my God the way Moses–in personal, face to face encounters on mountains, conversations full of instructions and wisdom, on a journey to set God’s people free from bondage and slavery. The story will be personal and unique but a heart willing to follow must be the same. It is easy to fear the far side of the wilderness. It is unknown, unsettled and it might just change your life, like it changed Moses’ and is changing mine.
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