Now go, for I am sending you to Pharaoh. You must lead my people out of Egypt. But Moses protested to God, “Who am I to appear before Pharaoh? Who am I to lead the people of Israel out of Egypt?” – Exodus 3:10-11.
Preparation is essential for any task to be done well. This preparation can come through formal experience or the accidental training that life gives. When young boy Moses was adopted into the Pharaoh of Egypt’s palace, the preparation for the biggest task of his life began. Moses’ preparation continued as he was commissioned by God at a bush that was burning but was not consumed. Little did Moses know at that moment that he would be confronting Pharaoh in his adulthood.
Moses eventually became the leader of the Israelites as they journeyed from Egypt to the homeland God had promised. During that journey, Moses encountered the majesty of God, the rebellion and idolatry of the people he was leading, and the incomprehensible events he witnessed, such as the daily ration of bread and meat, water from a rock, and God’s anger at the rebellion of Israel.
Moses’ lifelong preparation proves that learning is not limited to a season of life. Preparation is a process, empowered by our openness to it. Lifelong preparation can be difficult as it confronts our inadequacies, and lifelong learning is always surprising. You won’t know you’re being prepared until you see the new insight or strength you have.
Jesus had His own wilderness experience—40 days of temptation preceding the inauguration of His ministry. Lent considers Jesus’ preparation in the wilderness and also has hints of Moses in Egypt. How does Lent prepare you?
Dear God, we each have our own version of Moses’ preparation. We pray, in this season of Lent, that we will be mindful of our own experiences and how we might be shaped to be more like You. May we be informed, as Jesus was, by Your wisdom and guidance. In Jesus’ name, Amen.