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. 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.
Then Moses said, ‘I must turn aside and look at this great sight, and see why the bush is not burned up.’
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.’
Then he said, ‘Come no closer! Remove the sandals from your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.’ He said further, ‘I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’ And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God.
Then the Lord said, ‘I have observed the misery of my people who are in Egypt; I have heard their cry on account of their taskmasters. Indeed, I know their sufferings, and I have come down to deliver them from the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land to a good and broad land, a land flowing with milk and honey, to the country of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites. The cry of the Israelites has now come to me; I have also seen how the Egyptians oppress them. So come, I will send you to Pharaoh to bring my people, the Israelites, out of Egypt.’
But Moses said to God, ‘Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh, and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?’
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.’
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?’
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.” ’ God also said to Moses, ‘Thus you shall say to the Israelites, “The Lord, the God of your ancestors, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you”: This is my name for ever, and this my title for all generations. (Exodus 3: 1-15)
God comes at unexpected times, in unexpected places, breaking into the ordinary comfort of our lives and setting us on a new and unanticipated path. Hasn't this happened to all of us? Is it happening to you now?
Moses was tending sheep, just like he did every day, day in and day out, when God manifested Himself to Moses, a shepherd, and sent him to teach the Israelites the law of God and to bring them out of the their slavery in Egypt into the land God promised, a land "flowing with milk and honey," where they would be free.
Centuries later, God sent His Son, Who called Himself "the Good Shepherd," to fulfill the law and to redeem all of humanity from its slavery to sin and thus freeing us to follow God in righteousness and to experience the sweet nourishment of God's love.
Jesus' coming was anticipated and hoped for, but He, too, came in an unexpected way and in an unexpected place. Many missed Him when He came because they were looking for someone else. Many still miss Him because they are seeking peace and love in all sorts of places but His embrace.
Is anything shaking up your world right now? As the burning bush caught Moses attention to so that he would be open to the voice of God, is something happening in your life that has you wondering and asking questions? As Moses drew near the bush for a closer look, might God be beckoning you to look more closely at your situation? Might God's Holy Spirit be breaking into your comfort zone to bring you a message you didn't want to hear and a blessing you had not expected or even thought to request? What is your response? "Oh, no, Lord, not me. Not now. Not this. Don't talk to me, Lord. I don't want to be moved." Or is it, instead, "Come, stretch out Your mighty hand to set us free."
Come, Lord, stretch our Your mighty hand to set us free. You who manifested Yourself to Moses in a burning bush, Who manifested Yourself to the world in a helpless Infant in a stable, You are manifesting Yourself right now, in this world, in my world. Open my spiritual eyes to see You, Lord, and to look for the freedom you want to bestow on me now. Come, Lord, stretch out Your mighty hand to set us free, and give me the courage to put my hand into Yours. Amen.
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