The Study of Exodus: Post Three
***Note – We have completed the book of Job and the book of Genesis! This is our third week in the book of Exodus!
Focus: Exodus Chapter Three
Tip: I highly recommend journaling your responses to the questions, prompts, and reflections. Writing them out can help you process more deeply and see how God is working in your life.
This week’s devotion includes:
Exodus Chapter Three– “Certainly I will be with Thee”
Bible Memory:
Did you memorize last week’s Bible verse?
Hiding God’s Word in our hearts is such a valuable practice. Since I’ve been memorizing Scripture, I’ve experienced so many moments where God brings a specific verse to mind just when I need it most. It’s amazing how He uses His Word to speak into our lives right where we are.
This Week’s Memory Verse:
And he said, Certainly I will be with thee; and this shall be a token unto thee, that I have sent thee: When thou hast brought forth the people out of Egypt, ye shall serve God upon this mountain.
Exodus 3:12
Exodus Chapter 3
“Certainly I will be with Thee”
(Read Exodus Chapter 3 First)
One thing I love about scripture is that when we slow down and really picture what is happening, the Bible comes alive in such a personal way. Before we even begin Exodus chapter three, let’s get a picture of Moses in our minds.
Remember back in Exodus chapter two when Moses killed the Egyptian because he was defending one of his Hebrew brethren? According to Acts 7:23-24, Moses was about forty years old when that happened. Afterward, he fled into Midian where he met Zipporah, the daughter of Jethro, and began an entirely different life than the one he knew in Egypt.
Moses went from being raised as a prince in Pharaoh’s house to living as a shepherd in the wilderness.
Acts 7:30 tells us that forty more years passed before the burning bush experience happened. That means Moses was around eighty years old when God told him to go back to Egypt.
Think about that for a minute.
Forty years had passed since Moses fled the very place God was about to send him back to. If we look closely we can see how God was preparing him for what he was about to do.
God knows exactly when to call us, where to place us, and how to prepare us for the assignment ahead.
Moses was simply tending sheep when God met with him. He was living an ordinary life in the wilderness, far from the palace he once called home. He wasn’t known as a great leader or speaker at this point. Yet God chose to meet him right there in the middle of his ordinary life. Most importantly, Moses was living a life where he could hear from God. He wasn’t too busy, too distracted, too exhausted, or too overwhelmed by life to notice when God was speaking.
I think many of us want to hear from God, but our lives are often so full of noise, distraction, stress, and constant busyness that we rarely slow down long enough to truly listen. It becomes easy to fill every quiet moment with something else. What has helped me most is being intentional about setting aside daily quiet time with God without distractions. If we do not make those moments a priority, they will quickly become filled with other things. Early morning Bible reading and study before my kids wake up, along with evening walks after dinner to pray, have become daily staples that help keep me close to God.
Scripture says Moses led the flock to the backside of the desert near Horeb, also known as Mount Sinai or the mountain of God.
The angel of the LORD appeared in a flame of fire inside a bush. The bush was burning, but it was not consumed.
Can you imagine seeing that?
Naturally Moses went closer to examine it. But when the LORD saw Moses coming near, He called out:
“Moses, Moses.”
And Moses answered:
“Here am I.”
God then told him not to come any closer and instructed him to remove his shoes because he was standing on holy ground.
I think there is such a beautiful picture here. Moses could not approach God casually. The holiness of God demanded reverence.
We live in a world that often treats holy things casually, but Exodus 3 reminds us that God is holy.
I pray I can daily stop rushing and multitasking, and recognize His presence with awe and humility.
God then begins explaining why He appeared to Moses.
He tells him that He has:
* Seen the affliction of His people
* Heard their cries
* Known their sorrows
* Come down to deliver them
I love those verses because they remind us that God is not distant from our suffering.
There may be times when you feel overlooked, mistreated, burdened, or forgotten. But Exodus chapter three reminds us that God sees injustice and hears our cry.
What comfort there is in knowing we do not suffer unnoticed.
These verses also connect beautifully with so many other scriptures:
* Exodus 14:14 — “The LORD shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace.”
* 2 Chronicles 20:15 — “The battle is not yours, but God’s.”
* Isaiah 41:10 — “Fear thou not; for I am with thee.”
* 1 Peter 5:7 — “Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.”
* Psalms 46:10 — “Be still, and know that I am God.”
How often do we try to fix things ourselves before surrendering them to God?
Moses once tried to “help” his people in his own strength back in Egypt, and it ended in failure. But now God was showing him that true deliverance would only come through God’s power, not Moses’ own ability.
This next part is so relatable…
God tells Moses He is sending him to Pharaoh to bring the children of Israel out of Egypt.
And Moses responds:
“Who am I?”
Have you ever had that same thought when God was calling you to something difficult or out of your comfort zone?
Who am I to speak?
Who am I to lead?
Who am I to minister?
Who am I to share my testimony?
Who am I to do what God is asking?
Moses felt inadequate and unqualified.
But I love God’s response because He did not build Moses’ confidence by listing Moses’ strengths.
Instead, God said:
“Certainly I will be with thee.”
That changes everything.
God never promised Moses he could do it alone. He promised His presence.
And that is still the answer today.
When God calls us, He does not ask us to rely on ourselves. He asks us to rely on Him.
If God has been nudging your heart toward something and fear or insecurity has held you back, remember this:
If He called you, He will certainly be with you.
Moses then asks God what name he should give the people if they ask who sent him.
God replies:
“I AM THAT I AM.”
What a powerful name.
God is eternal, unchanging, and self-sufficient. He is everything we need exactly when we need Him.
Do you need peace? He is.
Do you need strength? He is.
Do you need provision? He is.
Do you need comfort? He is.
There is no lack in Him.
Did you notice how God called Moses by name before Moses fully understood who God was. God already knew Moses intimately. How beautiful is that?
And the same is true for us.
Before we fully understand God’s plans, He already knows our name, our fears, what will happen in our future, and His purpose for us.
Toward the end of the chapter, God tells Moses that He would bring His people out of Egypt, and He would also give them favor with the Egyptians. They would leave with silver, gold, jewels, and clothing.
I love how God can do more than bring us through hardships. Sometimes He brings beauty from it too.
Real Life Application:
- Are you in a season that feels like you don’t know God’s plan for your life or you feel like you’re waiting? God may still be preparing you there.
- Have you been resisting something God placed on your heart because you feel inadequate?
- Are you trying to fight battles in your own strength instead of trusting God to work?
* Have you forgotten that God sees your affliction and hears your cries?
Journaling Questions:
- Is there an area of my life where I have been asking “Who am I?” instead of trusting God’s calling?
2. What waiting season in my life may actually be preparation?
3. Have I been trying to handle a battle myself instead of surrendering it to God?
4. What does God being “I AM” personally mean to me right now?
5. Where have I seen God’s timing work differently than my own expectations?
The Georgia Nest 