Scripture: Exodus 3:11-20. Psalm 105:1.5.8-9.24-27. Matthew 11:28-30.
Lectionary # 392:

God speaks directly to Moses and gives him the mission of liberating Israel
from the oppression of the Egyptians. God reveals to him that God is a
person who has had and is living with the patriarchs Abraham, Isaac, and
Jacob. God is a God of the living! Just as these patriarchs and their
wives have been faithful to the covenant of love so too Moses has been
chosen to do the same with an even more explicit covenant of
loving-kindness to be given on the same mountain where Moses now is
experiencing the vision of the burning bush and the listening to God's
voice. God will show marvelous and tremendous works in the remaining
stages of the journey to the Promised Land of Israel. God's name is based
on the verb "to live" and Moses hears the name for the first time (Adonai
or in Hebrew Yahweh). God is with Moses and with Moses' people who are to
follow him after this summons. Moses gives his assent as the other great
leaders have done to God's mission. God is always with his people. Then
we turn to the Gospel of Matthew with one of the most consoling sayings of
Jesus," Come to me, all you who are weary and find life burdensome, and I
will refresh you. Take my yoke upon y our shoulders and learn from me, for
I am gentle and humble of heart. Your souls will find rest, for my yoke is
easy and my burden light." (Matthew 11:28-30). Jesus has been introduced by
Matthew as Emmanuel, that is, God with us by Matthew at the beginning of
his Gospel (Matthew 1:23). He will unburden us of our anxieties, worries,
troubles, and doubts. We are experiencing the Hesed or loving-kindness of
God through his words and deeds among us just as Moses experienced God on
Horeb. We never will have a burden that goes beyond what God knows we can
endure--if we but turn to God in these times of trial. The Psalm reminds
us that " The Lord remembers his covenant forever." O Lord God, Adonai,
we renew our love for you this day and know that your love will sustain us
in our work, our interraction with our neighbor and our ministries in your
service. You call us to leadership through your love. Help us to remember
that you are always here with us for you have told us that your are the One
who is and who will be with us. We who are Christians believe that your
Son Jesus is also You with us as Emmanuel. Amen.