God Knew His Name

Recently I have been studying and reading the Old Testament through again. Tuesday morning I was reading chapter three of Exodus and was so overcome with the lessons taught that I wanted to write them down somewhere besides the margins of my Today’s English Version Bible.

You remember the account of Moses taking care of his father-in-law’s sheep and spotting a bush on fire. He walked over to investigate. Verse four says, he heard a voice, “Moses, Moses.” Now stop right there. Did you get it? God knew him by name. He didn’t yell out, “Hey You.” He simply called him by his name Moses. Isn’t that beautiful? Doesn’t it make you feel special to know that He surely knows us by name also? He knows your name and my name.

In verse six, God identified himself to Moses. He told him He is the God of his ancestors, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. There was no trying to fool or scare Moses. He identified himself and then told His plans.

He had seen how cruelly His people were being treated in Egypt. God knows what is going on within our lives. He’s watching. He’s seeing. He knows. In verse seven the Bible says God heard their cry to be rescued from their slave drivers. Sometimes we may think God is not listening, does not know, does not care, but that isn’t true. God is listening. He does know. He does care for each one of us. God knew about their suffering. He knows about our suffering too. He knows and He cares.

Verse eight tells us He had come down to rescue them out of Egypt. So we might wonder what is next? What did God have in mind for the children of Israel? God had a plan, a good plan. He was going to bring them out of Egypt to a fertile and spacious land, which was rich and fertile. Isn’t God good? Isn’t he wonderful? He gives us more than we can even ask or think. When we might think He is not listening, not hearing us, He hears. He cares. He wants the best for us. God’s plans are always best.

God told Moses what He wanted him to do. Moses was a bit hesitant and thought he was not the one to go to the Egyptian king and lead the Israelites out of Egypt. God assured Moses He would be with him. We can rest assured that God will be with us also when we are striving to do His will.

And then summarizing this section, God told Moses He would be with him and told him one thing for him to do to show as proof that He had sent him. God said, “You are to worship me on this mountain.” Does it not stand to reason that we show our love and devotion to God by worshipping Him?

I hope this study has meant as much to you as it did to me this morning. God bless you.

                                                                            - Glenda W. Williams