Favorites II

It would be a hard thing to go through the Bible looking for some of the classic stories and not underline the Moses and the Burning Bush story.  It is not nearly as long as the Abraham story, but the story of the burning bush is a part of the Moses narrative and not the whole thing.  It begins with chapter 3 and goes 17 verses deep into chapter 4.  As the story unfolds Moses is a settled fugitive hiding in plain sight out in the wilderness where he has married the daughter of his boss.  Like so many Biblical stories, it has its origin midst the sheep.  

It is a phenomena of creation which catches Moses' attention and draws him into a powerful moment of experiencing God.  From within the bush that was burning yet not consumed comes the voice of God calling Moses by name.  Moses is immediately told two things.  One is to keep his distance and the second is to take off his sandals.  He is told both things because he is on ground saturated with the holiness of God.   As Moses listens, he is reminded of what he has not forgotten and told that he is to return to Egypt to bring freedom to his enslaved kinsmen.    

In so many ways Moses is like most of us.  He knows that God is calling him to do something and he wants no part of it.  It takes more than a few minutes for him to be convinced that it is safer to risk the anger of Pharaoh rather than risk the anger of God.  I think often of my own calling to preach.  It took me over six months to accept what I knew God wanted me to do with my life.  Even today as I hear God calling me to involve myself with others at the  point of their need, I suddenly become like Moses again and need a moment of convincing.  God may not be calling us to something as grandiose as freeing an enslaved nation, but He is surely calling us to open our eyes to the misery and the need of a host of people who are living in our neighborhoods.  If we do not see them, it is only because we are blind and living with a heart hardened like Pharaoh for they are all around us.