The bush still burns
John Povey
September 03, 2023
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Exodus 3: 1-4, 11-14 (NRSVA)
1 Moses was keeping the flock of his father-in-law Jethro, the priest of Midian; he led his flock beyond the wilderness, and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. 2 There the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire out of a bush; he looked, and the bush was blazing, yet it was not consumed. 3 Then Moses said, ‘I must turn aside and look at this great sight, and see why the bush is not burned up.’ 4 When the Lord saw that he had turned aside to see, God called to him out of the bush, ‘Moses, Moses!’ And he said, ‘Here I am.’
11 But Moses said to God, ‘Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh, and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?’ 12 He said, ‘I will be with you; and this shall be the sign for you that it is I who sent you: when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall worship God on this mountain.’
13 But Moses said to God, ‘If I come to the Israelites and say to them, “The God of your ancestors has sent me to you”, and they ask me, “What is his name?” what shall I say to them?’ 14 God said to Moses, ‘I am who I am.’He said further, ‘Thus you shall say to the Israelites, “I am has sent me to you.”’
Sometimes Christians describe their faith as being “on fire.” Does this remind you of anything? The best known spiritual experience from the scriptures involving fire must surely be that of Moses.
The burning bush that Moses saw was no ordinary desert fire. This bush was set aflame by the divine presence. On that sacred ground Moses encountered the great I AM. God heard the prayers of His people, and He had an answer. Much to Moses’ surprise, he was to be God’s answer, the solution to the Israelites’ suffering. The Lord spoke to Moses, giving him a charge to go and set His people free.
Despite the rebuttals, the Lord was persistent in His call to Moses. He would be with Moses during this journey and give him the words to say. At the burning bush, the Lord ignited Moses’ faith, spurring him on to fulfil His God-given purpose.
Jesus gives the church a commission. We are to go into all the world, to share the good news and make disciples. All this with the assurance, “I AM with you to the end of the age.”
The faith ignited in Moses, and the faith ignited in the first disciples, links the generations. Our life experiences of faith are closer than we might imagine. No excuses! God is present, God is calling us, and God gives us the confidence to go forward in His Name.
PRAYER:
Lord, as we go about our busy daily schedules, teach us to recognise precious moments when your holy presence is breaking through to the ordinary, in the unusual burning bushes that You plant in our paths.
Grant us the will and the faith to stop, like Moses, and notice the ways in which You are seeking our attention. Then kindle our faith to respond with willing and eager hearts to answer your call. Amen.
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