Scripture: Acts 7:23–34
23 “When Moses was forty years old, he decided to visit his own people, the Israelites. 24 He saw one of them being mistreated by an Egyptian, so he went to his defense and avenged him by killing the Egyptian. 25 Moses thought that his own people would realize that God was using him to rescue them, but they did not. 26 The next day Moses came upon two Israelites who were fighting. He tried to reconcile them by saying, ‘Men, you are brothers; why do you want to hurt each other?’
27 “But the man who was mistreating the other pushed Moses aside and said, ‘Who made you ruler and judge over us? 28 Are you thinking of killing me as you killed the Egyptian yesterday?’ 29 When Moses heard this, he fled to Midian, where he settled as a foreigner and had two sons.
30 “After forty years had passed, an angel appeared to Moses in the flames of a burning bush in the desert near Mount Sinai. 31 When he saw this, he was amazed at the sight. As he went over to get a closer look, he heard the Lord say: 32 ‘I am the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.’ Moses trembled with fear and did not dare to look.
33 “Then the Lord said to him, ‘Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground. 34 I have indeed seen the oppression of my people in Egypt. I have heard their groaning and have come down to set them free. Now come, I will send you back to Egypt.’ (NIV)
Observation:
As Stephen recounted the history of faith and the Israelite people, he recounted when “an angel appeared to Moses in the flames of a burning bush in the desert near Mount Sinai. Moses was amazed by what he saw, and went near the bush to get a better look. But he heard the Lord's voice: ‘I am the God of your ancestors, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.’” (Acts 7:30b-32) God informed Moses that He is the God who has a history with Moses' family. God is a relational God.
Application:
God is fully aware of our circumstances and needs. He is truly a relational and intimate God, especially now, as believers are blessed with the presence of His Holy Spirit, who abides with us eternally.
Prayer:
Thank You, Lord, for being with us and within us as we place our faith in Your Son, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. You have gifted us with the Holy Spirit, whom You have sent in Jesus' Name to dwell with us and remind us of all that Jesus ever taught His disciples. Thus, we possess everything necessary to be faithful followers of the Living God. Abide in us as we abide in You, so that we may bear much fruit. Amen.