It is essential to understand that Moses’ appeal to Pharaoh, on behalf of the enslaved Hebrews, was not that Pharaoh would grant them their freedom from slavery, but that he would allow them to simply go three days journey into the desert to worship their God. Revealed in Pharaoh’s refusal is the power struggle that genuine worship creates: you cannot worship one God, then serve another god. Who you worship and who you serve will be one-in-the-same.
In other words, if Pharaoh released them to truly worship, they could never be slaves again.
But before God could call the people into worship, the leader had to learn to worship first.
Moses spent many of his long days herding sheep in the desert regions of the Sinai mountains – the same area where he would later receive the 10 commandments. Because of his responsibilities he only viewed it as a work place and failed to recognize it for what it truly was.
Moses was on the Mount of the Lord (Ex 3:1), standing on “holy ground.” But he was so busy in his work that he didn’t see it as a place of worship. He was consumed with business and missed the presence of God.
How true is that of us as leaders? How often do we miss the worship of God doing the work of God? How often do we miss the presence of God because we’re consumed with the present?
God had to set a bush on fire to get Moses’ attention. Then He had to invite Moses to stay awhile in His presence, “Take your shoes off.”
The greatest leadership responsibility is to spend time in the presence of God! Without that all of our efforts are hollow. It’s in worship that we are equipped for work. It’s through time in worship that we are envisioned for leadership. It’s in genuine worship that we discover our design. And it’s only through worship that we receive directions for our destination.