Who am I? – June 14. 2023

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.”
Exodus 3:11,12

Who am I?

“Who, me?” When someone pays you a compliment or acknowledges your work, a natural response is to deflect attention from yourself. “Who, me?” When tasked with a responsibility, we may feel the urge to deflect attention and ask, “Who am I?”

When Moses was tasked with going to Pharaoh and leading God’s people, his first response was, “Who, me?” “Who am I?” he asked. As a baby, God rescued him from genocide when his mother floated him down the Nile River in a basket. He was found and raised by royalty. But then he murdered an Egyptian slave driver when he saw a fellow Israelite being mistreated. He fled to the land of Midian, and there he lived a quiet life for decades as a shepherd. Now the Lord was calling him?

It might seem like Moses was modestly deflecting attention when he said, “Who am I?” but he was putting too much attention and focus on himself. He was relying on himself: his personality, his track record, his abilities. As long as he focused on himself, he failed to rest and rely on the love and strength of the Lord.

It’s good for us to take an honest look at ourselves and not think too highly of ourselves, especially before God. But don’t dwell on the question, “Who am I?” and miss who your God is and what he has done for you. Your salvation and eternal life, doesn’t rest on your personality or abilities. Rely on Jesus Christ and who he is. He is your Savior who laid down his life for you! “Who, me?” Yeah, you! And he is with you to guide, comfort, and strengthen because that’s who he is. In the life he calls you to live, rely on who he is and what he has done.

Prayer:
Lord, give me true humility to shift the attention from me and my efforts and trust only and always in you. Amen.