Ready and Willing

There's something to be said about living in a state of readiness - being adapted for immediate use or action, a present preparedness ... ready. I'm reminded of the Boy Scout motto: be prepared. While tending flocks in the wilderness, Moses noticed a bush burning yet not burned: "When the LORD saw that he turned away [from the flock] to look, God called to him from the midst of the bush and said, "Mose, Moses!" And he said, "Here I am." (Exodus 3:4, AMP). Of course, The All-Knowing God knew exactly where Moses was; Moses' answer, however, wasn't signaling his geographic location rather his sense of readiness for obedience. We don't know a lot about Moses' years after he hurriedly left Egypt but one thing we conclude from God's call and Moses answer: he knew the voice of God. Jesus said He calls His sheep by name, they hear and know His voice (John 10:3). Time spent in The Word is time spent with Jesus Who reveals more and more of The Father to us - that's how we know His voice. Hearing should always lead to obeying. As you read the next few verses, Moses gave a hosts of reasons which [in his own mind] disqualified him and made his readiness questionable. God was neither convinced nor deterred: Moses was the chosen man to lead God's people, and ultimately Moses obeyed. God may not be calling you to anything quite as life-altering as Moses but I imagine His plan for you involves something as noble as a phone call to a friend missing-in-action or an aging neighbor or a troubled teen. Whatever it is, God is looking for you to say "here I am" ... ready and willing.