Spring often throws its beauty in our faces – and that’s fine. I love it.
Daffodils flash their yellow almost like the sun. Azaleas blaze with a multitude of shades. And roses – my favorite, of course – almost take your breath away with their brilliance.
Those of us who appreciate such beauty sometimes feel compelled to stop and marvel in the majesty. It’s almost as if the flowers are calling our names, inviting us to come see them, to interact with them, to take note of them.
But what if you saw a bush that was burning from within, and the flame just wouldn’t go out? Now, that would get your attention even more than spring’s fiery flowers.
Of course, that’s exactly what happened to Moses. He had been tending his father-in-law’s flock in Midian, where he had fled after killing a man in Egypt and later trying to break up another fight. On this particular day, he led the sheep to the far side of the wilderness and came to what scripture calls the mountain of God.
Exodus 3:2 says, “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.” Naturally, Moses grew inquisitive and went over to look.
Then came a moment I especially love. The angel of the Lord, whom most scholars believe is the preincarnate Christ, called to him. Not only once, but twice. “Moses! Moses!”
I only recently came to realize what some of these details mean. God called to Moses after Moses became curious about him. And guess what? He’ll do the same for us. James 4:8, which is both a command and promise, says, “Draw near to God and he will draw near to you.”
Here’s another thought to wrap your head around. When Moses stepped toward the bush, God said, “Do not come any closer. Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.”
Why would that be? Most of us can figure out it’s because God was there. I’ll say that again: God was there. (Stay with me on this.)
Well, now, what about us Christians? The Bible shows that Christians are indwelt by the Holy Spirit, so wherever we go, God goes with us. So, literally, every place we go should be holy ground. We should be, as my minister terms it, barefoot Christians.
And when we find ourselves in places where ugliness reigns – crude language, prejudice, bitterness, hate – we should live in such a way that the presence of God is not ignored there.
In that Exodus passage God also told Moses that he was the God of Promise. That day, the promise to Moses concerned the Israelites and their captivity. But he’s the God of Promise for us today, too.
God sees injustice and suffering, and he has a plan for that; you may even be part of that. You may not know it, but you could be the answer to someone’s prayer. God could be telling you, “You’re the one I want to use.”
So, wherever you are in your life, be looking for God – because he’s looking for you. When he gets your attention, get as close to him as you can possibly get. Then, allow him to use you to do his will by his power and might – and not yours.
Today, if you’re bored or feeling restless, if you’re getting spring fever from looking at all the flowers, or if you’re just wondering what to do, remember this: The same God who set a bush ablaze to get Moses’ attention is still at work today. He may not use fire in quite that way – but he will still get your attention.
When he does, don’t just admire the beauty around you. Turn aside. Step closer. Then, be ready when he calls your name.
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Sallie Rose Hollis lives in Ruston and retired from Louisiana Tech as an associate professor of journalism and the assistant director of the News Bureau. She can be contacted at sallierose@mail.com.
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