Preparing for the call

Now Moses kept the flock of Jethro his father in law, the priest of Midian: and he led the flock to the backside of the desert, and came to the mountain of God, even to Horeb. –Exodus 3:1

In these passages, where we find the call of Moses, it is noteworthy that we see him working. Let those who desire to hear and know the call of God employ themselves in the kingdom for his glory. We also find that Moses was in the “backside of the desert,” perhaps showing his willingness to work in a supportive role for others. But just like God does today, he will take a person not seeking their glory and elevate them for his use.

“And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush: and he looked, and, behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed” (Exodus 3:2). In verse 1 we found that Moses was in “the backside of the desert” and here we see that “the LORD appeared unto him in a flame of fire.” Notice that the Lord can be found even in the most remote regions, such as the darkest corners of our trials. We also find that when the Lord’s call is made known to us, he will voice it. Those around us may say what they think our calling is (perhaps even correctly), but it will come to us as confirmation, not revelation.

“And Moses said, I will now turn aside, and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt” (Exodus 3:3). Moses, after seeing something curious, determines to “leave the path” and make a further inspection. Many times the call of God will likewise cause us to walk down unfamiliar paths outside our comfort zone. The very nature of something being unfamiliar implies that we have no knowledge or experience. The Lord truly gets the glory in these places because our flesh has nothing to rely upon, and we are forced to walk by faith.

“And when the LORD saw that he turned aside to see, God called unto him out of the midst of the bush, and said, Moses, Moses. And he said, Here am I” (Exodus 3:4). See that Moses would not hear the Lord call him by name until after God had seen that Moses was seeking after him. A talking burning bush would be a remarkable thing that was different in Moses’ life. True with us today, when the Lord speaks into our spirits about the call, it will be different from any thoughts we could have generated ourselves.

So if you desire to hear the call of God for your life, make yourself busy in the kingdom. The church is full of opportunities to show the Lord that you are preparing yourself for greater responsibilities. Also, be ready to hear from God anytime, and do not put him in a box. It would help if you were willing to walk into unfamiliar territory and perform tasks that may stretch your faith. Lastly, let the Lord discern your thirst for him as you pursue him in all you do. If you do these simple things, you will powerfully hear from God, and your eyes will be opened to his will for your life.