Making Yourself Available

“The heart of man plans his way, but the LORD establishes his steps.” – Proverbs 16:9

Moses is one of the most prominent figures in the Old Testament. Moses was the man chosen to bring redemption to His people. God specifically chose Moses to lead the Israelites from captivity in Egypt to salvation in the Promised Land. Moses is also recognized as the giver of the Law. Finally, Moses is the principal author of Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy, the foundational books of the entire Bible. His life is definitely worth examining.

When you study the story of Moses you have to ask yourself a question: How did this man become one of the greatest leaders in history? Moses was raised in the Pharaoh’s household, but refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter after learning of his rightful heritage. Hebrews 11:24 says, “By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter.”

As Moses grows into adulthood, he begins to empathize with the plight of his people, and upon witnessing an Egyptian beating a Hebrew slave, Moses intervenes and kills the Egyptian. In another incident, Moses attempts to intervene in a dispute between two Hebrews, but one of the Hebrews rebukes Moses and sarcastically comments, “Do you mean to kill me as you killed the Egyptian?” (Exodus 2:14). Realizing that his criminal act was made known, Moses flees to the land of Midian where he again plays the hero—this time to the daughters of Jethro by rescuing them from some bandits. In gratitude, Jethro grants the hand of his daughter Zipporah to Moses. Then he returns to Egypt to tell Pharaoh to let his people go.

Moses became what he did, not because of his ability but by his availability and by the hand of God. Moses did not want the job that he was given, and it was a rough one, but God had prepared him out on the backside of the desert. God was not only delivering a people but investing in the man who would lead them. Don’t ever think that what you are going through is not in preparation for much greater service in the future. God is always working things together for your good.

God has always looked for people who would be faithful to Him. People that would walk with God, listen to His voice, obey His Word and carry out His plan in the earth. If God could find people who would be loyal to Him and be willing to act on His Word regardless of how impossible, unreasonable and difficult it may seem, God’s power and ability could flow through them and impact the world with God’s message.

God is much more interested in your availability than He is your ability. Make yourself available. He will begin to manifest His character, His nature, His glory and His Spirit in you. 2 Corinthians 4:6-7 says, “For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us.”

You and I have been designed by God to know Him, fellowship with Him, walk with Him, be a habitation of His Spirit, and to be a holy vessel to not only contain the presence and power of God, but also a vessel through which He can show Himself to the world. Like Moses, we may have some insecurity, some concerns, we may even have some issues we are dealing with. But like Moses, God can and will use us if we make ourselves available.

Discussion Questions:

1. How did Moses’ life experiences prepare him for God’s call? What life experience could God use to minister to others through you?
2. Moses lacks confidence. Is a lack a confidence the reason you are not taking some steps you need to?
3. What do you think makes Moses a good leader?
4. Moses is described as a “very humble man, more humble than anyone else on the face of the earth” (Numbers 12:3) What examples from his life illustrate this? How would you rate your humility level?