Let’s reflect on the wonder of the burning bush that Moses encountered at Horeb.
“Now Moses was tending the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian, and he led the flock to the far side of the wilderness and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. There the angel of the Lord appeared to him in flames of fire from within a bush. Moses saw that though the bush was on fire it did not burn up. So Moses thought, ‘I will go over and see this strange sight—why the bush does not burn up.’
“When the Lord saw that he had gone over to look, God called to him from within the bush, ‘Moses! Moses!’
“And Moses said, ‘Here I am.’
“‘Do not come any closer,’ God said. ‘Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.’ Then he said, ‘I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob.’ At this, Moses hid his face, because he was afraid to look at God.
“The Lord said, ‘I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned about their suffering. So I have come down to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land into a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey—the home of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites. And now the cry of the Israelites has reached me, and I have seen the way the Egyptians are oppressing them. So now, go. I am sending 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?’
“And God said, ‘I will be with you. And this will be the sign to you that it is I who have sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you will worship God on this mountain.’
“Moses said to God, ‘Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, “The God of your fathers has sent me to you,” and they ask me, “What is his name?” Then what shall I tell them?’
“God said to Moses, ‘I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: “I AM has sent me to you.”’” -Exodus 3:1-14
When Moses saw a bush up in flames, burning without burning up, he was in awe. It was just a piece of shrubbery—a plain, otherwise unnoticeable bunch of twigs. But it was lit with fire that did not destroy it. The flames did not turn its branches black or shrivel its leaves. That must have been something. It scared him but drew him. He took off his shoes because it was holy ground.
We’re so like burning bushes: plain, not worth looking at. Breakable. Sometimes sad. Trying to be tall and sturdy like trees but usually feeling feeble and small. But when the Holy Spirit rushes to fill our lives, how bright we become! We are so consumed with His awesome presence yet wonderfully not destroyed. Our feebleness is infused with His holy flame, sending out light to the world that others may see it and say, “He is nothing, but what is happening to him is something holy.”
We are burning bushes, always in His presence because His presence is in us. And we’re raising our limbs as high as we can to let people see the glow. And we’re declaring that where He moves, we follow, and wherever He goes, that place is holy ground.
Praise His name for the joy of witnessing to unreached nations and remote villages—for the joy of being sent by Him and carrying His holy flame to the ends of the Earth.
Father, You alone turn our weakness into strength. Thank You for using us, Your children, to send light into a dark world. Amen.
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