Promises

 “Moses was tending the flock of his father-in-law Jethro, the priest of Midian. Leading the flock across the desert, he came to Horeb, the mountain of God. There an angel of the Lord appeared to him in fire flaming out of a bush. As he looked on, he was surprised to see that the bush, though on fire, was not consumed. So Moses decided, ‘I must go over to look at this remarkable sight, and see why the bush is not burned.’ When the LORD saw him coming over to look at it more closely, God called out to him from the bush, ‘Moses! Moses!’ He answered, ‘Here I am.’” Then God said to him, “Come, now! I will send you to Pharaoh to lead my people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt.’ But Moses said to God, ‘Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and lead the children of Israel out of Egypt?’ He answered, ‘I will be with you; and this shall be your proof that it is I who have sent you: when you bring my people out of Egypt, you will worship God on this very mountain.’” (Exodus 3: 1-4, 10-12)

As Moses approached the burning bush, did he in his wildest dreams imagine that it would be God speaking to him? When he realized it was God and that God wanted to use him as one of his leaders, Moses balked at the idea. Was it out of humility that he protested? Did he think he wasn’t worthy? Or did he protest out of fear or because he knew that what God was asking of him would be very difficult? I encounter families every day who are facing one of the most difficult things that could be asked of them. They are faced with their child being diagnosed with a life-threatening illness and having to undergo cancer treatment. I know that most of these parents, if not all of them, would take the pain and suffering on themselves rather than watch their child endure the terrible treatments.

The mother of a teen recently diagnosed with cancer mentioned that she has never felt closer to Mary then she does now as she watches her son suffer. His very life is threatened and there was no way to prevent this from happening. Her son is united with Christ on the cross and she is united with Mary, unable to take this cross from her son. God tells Moses that that he will be with him and even promises proof that it is He who is asking this of him. This very promise that he gave to Moses is the same promise he gives to each of us, I’ll be with you. As we are faced with the struggles of this life let us always remember that we are never alone and God will not abandon us.