How should Moses' experience in Acts 7:30 influence our response to God's call? Setting the Scene • Acts 7:30 recalls Moses in Midian: “After forty years had passed, an angel appeared to Moses in the flames of a burning bush”. • The forty-year gap highlights both God’s sovereign timing and Moses’ lengthy preparation in obscurity. Key Observations from Acts 7:30 • Forty years of waiting shows that God’s call can arrive long after our own timetable. • The initiative is entirely the Lord’s—Moses was not seeking a mission; the mission came to him. • God spoke through an unlikely medium (“burning bush”), reminding us that He often communicates in ways we do not expect. What This Teaches about God’s Timing • Patience is essential. Psalm 27:14—“Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart…” • Humility during hidden seasons readies us for later usefulness (1 Peter 5:6). • We resist discouragement by remembering that God’s delays are purposeful, not neglectful. Responding with Humble Curiosity • Moses said, “I will go over and see this strange sight” (Exodus 3:3). • Curiosity led to encounter; indifference would have missed the call. • Practically: stay alert to nudges from Scripture, sermons, or circumstances the Spirit might employ. Responding with Reverent Obedience • Exodus 3:4—“God called to him from within the bush, ‘Moses! Moses!’” He answered, “Here I am.” • Immediate availability mirrors Isaiah 6:8 and models our own reply to prompting. • Hebrews 3:7-8 warns, “Today if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts.” Responding with Readiness after Preparation • Midian’s desert shaped Moses’ character; our “deserts” refine us too (2 Timothy 2:21). • When the call comes, previously hidden lessons become indispensable. • Romans 12:1 urges proactive readiness: “Present your bodies as a living sacrifice…” Living It Out • Embrace God’s timeline—trust that waiting seasons accomplish divine purposes. • Cultivate spiritual attentiveness so unusual moments don’t pass unnoticed. • Say “Here I am” before knowing all details, then listen for further instruction. • Put teaching into practice—James 1:22: “Be doers of the word, and not hearers only.” • Expect God to use the ordinary and the extraordinary alike to direct your steps. |
    |