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Almighty God has the most amazing ways of getting our attention at times. We are looking at Moses in Exodus – but think of Gideon too. When God called Gideon he said that he was the least in his family – go and get somebody else – I am not the best you can find – there are better men out there – and that is usually true – but that does not concern our Almighty God.

Then was Jeremiah – when God called him and he had a list of excuses – he was too young or he did not have enough training for this prophetic calling – I need more time to learn – wait until I am older – and anyway I cannot speak. God would not accept any of his excuses.

Then there were the disciples by the Lake of Galilee who were fishermen and Jesus called them. There was Matthew at his tax collectors booth. Zacchaeus was up a tree and Jesus spotted him and called him. Bartimaeus was crying out for mercy and healing and Jesus ministered to him. We too can attract the attention of Jesus as well as God having to get hold of us at times.

Then there was Saul of Tarsus – possibly the most unlikely candidate – a murderer – a man who hated disciples of Jesus – a man who was out to wipe out the church of Jesus Christ and the Jesus in whom he did not believe met him in a most unusual manner at a most unlikely moment – and arrested him. Lydia was leading a woman’s Prayer Meeting by the riverside when she was attracted and touched by the living Christ – we read of that in Acts Chapter 16 . Then there was the Philippian jailor not long after Lydia – and that encounter was not what we might expect – but this is how our God works at times.

Exodus Chapter 3 – Moses is now 80 years old – he has spent 40 years in a palace – where he had been a somebody and where he had received the finest education available at that time – then he spent 40 years working away in the wilderness as a shepherd and learning that in another sense he was a nobody – and now we see what the living God, the Father of our Saviour and Lord, Jesus Christ can do with a nobody.

We could call these Chapters – “A man whose life begins at 80!”

In the first two Chapters which cover almost 500 years – God selects what is important and relevant – but when HE moves again – every single day counts.

One lesson we see here is that it is only what is done in the Lord that is of any real and final significance. Moses had 40 years at the top of the social ladder – and 40 years at the bottom – 40 years in a palace and 40 years in a tent – being prepared.

When we are considering our life’s work we need time to prepare. Jesus was 18 years in the carpenter’s shop. Paul had at least three years in Arabia – reading the available scriptures in the light of his Damascus experience – listening to Jesus – and the years of preparation for the real work to which the Lord God is calling us are seldom glamorous and exciting.

You can be mighty in a palace – with all the wealth and sophistication and education - and then you may have to learn to be meek in the wilderness. The bottom person in the Egyptian social ladder was a shepherd. Genesis chapter 46 verse 34 .

I think of that man of 80 being baptised – and coming up out of the water weeping – “I’m looking back at all the years I have wasted”.

At 80, did Moses think that his best and finest work was over?

But Jesus can take someone who is now ready and prepared and mature and show them the real and everlasting work which he has for them to do.

We see this not only in Moses – but in Elijah – Ezekiel – Amos – John the Baptist – or John on the isle of Patmos where he received the book of Revelation - and various others. Do not forget Zechariah and Elizabeth and Mary and Joseph!

To do something public for Jesus Christ – very often God has to get you, for a season, on your own!

“Loving gracious holy God – for the whole variety of experiences we read of in the Bible, we thank and praise You. You are a God of variety – and You seldom do the same thing twice. We thank You that You are a God who calls and chooses and reveals and affirms – we thank you that You are God who saves us from sin through Jesus – and that You anoint and equip us with the power of the Holy Spirit. For the lives of those who have gone before us we give thanks – may we leave a good and worthy example as people may look at our lives and hear our testimony. We pray in Jesus Name.” Amen.

"Inspiration For You" from Randy Mitchell

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