Mensa Otabil - Led to the Lord (10/04/2025)
This week we start a new study on the life of Moses, centered on Exodus chapter 3, where we examine how God called Moses. We will be conducting a verse-by-verse study of this chapter in the Bible, Exodus chapter 3, beginning from verse 1.
Now, Moses was tending the flock of Jethro, his father-in-law, the priest of Midian. He led the flock to the back of the desert and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. Moses lived much of his life in the palace of the Pharaoh of Egypt. In the palace, he was a nobleman, but now he has become a simple shepherd in exile. The work of the shepherd was associated with the Hebrews, so he has moved from his position among the Egyptians, and now he’s doing work for Hebrews or for slaves. It’s a very humble work, and Moses did not even own the sheep he was caring for; the sheep he shepherded belonged to his father-in-law. It would seem that he is at a very low point in his life, from a prince to a shepherd who doesn’t even own the sheep. At this low point, serving faithfully even though he didn’t own what he did, God showed up in his life.
Isn’t it amazing how God sometimes picks the time when we think we have nothing or can do nothing to intrude in our lives and gives us purpose? The passage says that Moses led his flock to Horeb, the mountain of God. How did Moses know that this was the mountain of God? We’re not told. It could be that it was a place he went to for prayer; it could also be that it was a place where his father-in-law, who was a priest, would go to offer sacrifices to God. Eventually, this was the place where God gave the laws to Moses and Israel after their liberation. So this mountain is a very special place where people worship God.
A couple of lessons we learn from here: the first is that Moses led the flock following him to the mountain of God. This tells us that when God puts us in a place of influence where there are people following us-in Moses’s case, it’s sheep, but for us, it could be people, children, students, or staff in our office-we must lead them to a good place, the place where God is. We must lead them to the mountain of the Lord; our influence in life should lead people to God.
The second lesson we learn from Moses is that he allowed his work to take him to the mountain of the Lord. As a shepherd, he could have taken them anywhere else, but he took them to the mountain of the Lord. This means that our work should lead us closer to God because many people cite work as the main reason why they are not close to God. Work is too busy; they’re working odd hours, and so they don’t have time for God, prayer, their Bible, or church-all because of work. Yet, Moses is using his work to lead him to God, telling us that no matter how busy or demanding our work is, it can lead us to God.
In your workplace, you can have moments of silent prayer while you’re working. You can ask the Lord to help you on the job while you’re doing your work and seek His assistance. You can ask the Lord to help you minister life to people in your office and bring them to the saving knowledge of Christ. So, like Moses, even when we feel hard-pressed and are working without apparent progress, God can meet us. He meets us when we haven’t allowed work to take us away from Him but have permitted it to bring us closer. I pray that this week and throughout your life, your work will not take you from God but draw you closer to the Lord.
Let us pray. Say with me: Heavenly Father, thank you for the work you’ve given me; use it to draw me closer to You. In Jesus' name, amen.
Anyway, my friends, this is the first lesson we learned from Moses. We will continue tomorrow. Pastor Mensa Otabil, shalom, peace, and life to you.