I wonder if Jochebed had any idea when she placed her baby in a basket and floated him in the river that he would become the great leader he eventually became. I’m sure she didn’t.
How could she know that he would be found by the princess of Egypt, raised in the home of Pharaoh, and would lead God’s people to a land flowing with milk and honey? She couldn’t.
What a proud mother she must have been as she nursed her own son for the princess, taught him about God, and watched him grow into a prince in Egypt.
Moses took the side of a slave over one of the Egyptians and murdered him. When the murder became public knowledge, Moses had to leave the only home he had ever known to save his life. What must his mother have felt?
Moses fled to the land of Midian where he lived with Jethro and his seven daughters. There he became a husband to Zipporah and father to Gershom. He went from prince of Egypt to a lowly shepherd, tending the sheep that belonged to his father-in-law.
While watching the sheep, Moses saw an incredible sight. He saw a bush “that burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed” (Exodus 3:2 KJV).
He wanted to get a closer look, so scripture says “And Moses said, I will now turn aside, and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt” (Exodus 3:3 ESV).
The next verse says, “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’.”
This verse carries such an impact, not only for Moses but also for us. Moses purposely, willingly, without question turned toward the bush. He didn’t hesitate to investigate, because he knew it was an important event. It was something spectacular and something not to be ignored.
How do you feel about coming into the presence of God? Do you purposely, willingly, without question turn to the presence of God our heavenly Father?
Worship is our chance to do just that. Just as Moses removed his shoes because he was in the presence of a Holy God, so should we come before God with awe and reverence.
God demanded reverence and respect from Moses, and He does no less today. The casual or “come as you are” attitude which is so prevalent in our modern society is not what God expects from his followers.
Psalm 29:2 says, “Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his name; worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness.” God deserves and demands that we worship Him with reverence and not in a casual, do-as-you-please way. “God is a spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth” (John 4:24 KJV).
John records his vision of worship in heaven. In Revelation 7:9-12 he describes the great multitude (the church) standing before the throne of God, wearing white robes, carrying palms. They fall before the throne and worship God.
Everything about this scene, from the clothes they wore to the words that came from their mouths, was that of reverence. It was all about showing honor and respect to God.
Solomon said in Proverbs 4:23, “Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.” The outside reflects what is in our hearts. The way we worship begins in our hearts. We decide whether we will go to worship, what we will wear, and how we will act. We decide in our hearts, and then we act on what we have decided.
Moses made the choice to “turn aside”, and his rewards for doing so were a conversation with God, the witness to a miracle, and a lifetime of service to the Almighty God and creator of mankind.
We won’t see the miracle of a bush that burns and isn’t destroyed; but when we turn aside from the things of this life, we too can have a lifetime of service to the same Almighty God and creator of mankind. With obedient faith, we can also be a part of that multitude in heaven wearing white robes, gathered around the throne of God, worshipping Him for all eternity.
Sandra Oliver