Exodus 3:1-5 “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. 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. And Moses said, I will now turn aside, and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt. 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. And he said, Draw not nigh hither: put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground.”
I don’t know about you but this has been a great study for me. Even after 63 years of walking with the Lord (I was saved at 8 years of age) I feel as if there is still more that God wants to do through me. If God has another call for me, I want to do what Moses did: “turn aside to see. . . “
If God calls me to another ministry, I want to be ready to hit the ground running. If God wants me to continue to be faithful where I am as a layman in our local church and serve through the avenue of music, I want to sing to the best of my ability. Whatever God’s call for my wife and me, we want to serve Him.
God’s specific call has been the subject for the last few weeks in CHALLENGING CONCEPTS. We have looked at the burning bush experience in the life of Moses. We have taken the experience of Moses and tried to make some applications to the will of God for our life. We have seen that the call of God is SCRIPTURAL, SOVEREIGN, SELECTIVE, SINCERE, and now today we’re going to see that when we accept that call, it is SATISFYING.
Let’s look at this last point:
VI. OUR CALL IS A SATISFYING ONE
When you follow the life of Moses, you see that he did become the leader that God had planned for him. The doubts he had were assured and his faith in God grew to the point that God worked great miracles through him. Moses became one of the greatest characters of the Old Testament. There are times, though, that some people forget that Moses was a mere man. He was flesh and blood just as we are. He was a humble shepherd on the back side of the desert, on the run from his past. But God spoke to him out of a burning bush and through that experience, he became the great leader that God wanted him to be and a great example for us today.
Every one of us today has a place in the service of the Lord. I’m not talking about some of us becoming a modern day Moses, but God does have something for us to do. We’re not to serve Him through the flesh, but through the power of God which resides in every one of us in the person of the Holy Spirit. John 14:17 states “. . . but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.” We also read in Acts 1:8 “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.”
There will be different times that God will speak to you in a definite and real way. He may speak through certain preachers or teachers. He will speak to you through your own Bible studies. He will gently guide you when you get off track, or He may even use a stern warning if you walk unworthy of your position as His child. Notice the promise of God in Psalm 32:8 “I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go. I will guide thee with mine eye.”
God calls each of us to follow Him. We may be different; have differing talents and abilities and will be called to different roles in life. But our only real satisfaction comes from an intimate relationship with God. God will speak to you. He’ll do it in many, many ways, but the main avenue through which He speaks and calls today is through His Word.
Notice what we read in II Timothy 3:16-17, “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable (for your good and His glory) for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: (What is the purpose?) That the man of God may be perfect, (mature or complete) throughly furnished unto all good works.”
The maturity of the believers in Macedonia was seen when they responded to the need of the Christians at Jerusalem. They were poor themselves, but were confident that God had called them to give what they could not afford. Notice the satisfaction of them as they were dependent upon God’s resources to enable them to sacrificially give. Notice what we read in II Corinthians 8:2 “How that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality.”
Notice the joy and satisfaction shown by Paul because he had answered the call of God to preach the gospel. We read in I Thessalonians 2:19-20 “For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming? For ye are our glory and joy.”
I could give other examples of satisfaction and joy that came because people answered the call of God in their lives, but I think I have made my point. There are two thoughts I would like to leave with you: (1) God wants to speak to you! (2) Will you turn aside and listen?
Those are two thought provoking comments. What will you do with those thoughts?
That’s my view; how about you?
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Pastor, it is so difficult to stop and listen sometimes. I am guilty of being so "busy" that I don't spend the time I ought in prayer. I have often been so tired, that I was like the disciples in the garden when Jesus was praying, I fell asleep. I pray God will help me to turn aside and listen. I want to be where the Lord wants me to be in my spiritual walk with him.
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