Daily Teaching
Exodus 3:11-14 — Meaning & Reflection
“But Moses said to God, "Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?" And God said, "I will be with you. And this will be the sign to you that it is I who have sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you will worship God on this mountain." Moses said to God, "Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, 'The God of your fathers has sent me to you,' and they ask me, 'What is his name?' Then what shall I tell them?" God said to Moses, "I am who I am . This is what you are to say to the Israelites: 'IAM has sent me to you.' "”
God answers our deepest inadequacy not with flattery, but with the promise of his presence.
Background
At the burning bush near Horeb, God commissions Moses to bring Israel out of Egypt. Moses questions both his own adequacy and what he should tell the Israelites about the God who sends him.
Teaching
God does not answer Moses by listing his strengths; he promises to be with him. The divine name reveals that God’s identity and authority do not depend on Moses or Pharaoh. Israel’s deliverance will rest on who God is, not merely on who Moses becomes. When obedience feels beyond us, we can bring our questions to the One whose presence sustains his calling.
Reflect
- Where am I allowing a sense of inadequacy to keep me from a faithful next step?
- How would I approach that step differently if I relied on God’s presence rather than my confidence?
Prayer
Lord, I confess how easily I measure your calling by my own strength. Help me trust who you are and take the next faithful step with you. Amen.