God May Be Closer Than We Think
When the Lord saw that Moses had turned aside to see, God called to him out of the bush, “Moses, Moses!” And he said, “Here I am.” 5 Then he said, “Come no closer! Remove the sandals from your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.” (Exodus 3:4-5)
The encounter Moses had with God coming to him in the burning bush is one of the most amazing stories in all of scripture. Moses had fled from the Egyptians because he had killed an Egyptian who was beating a Jewish slave. For many years, Moses lived in the wilderness as a herder. It was while watching a flock that Moses sees a bush burning but not being consumed.
Coming closer to see, Moses hears God speak the above words to him. The place where he was standing was holy ground. He was not just in the fields watching sheep. He was in the presence of God. God was calling him to rejoin the Jews in Egypt and to lead them from slavery to freedom.
Because of what Jesus reveals to us, the experience of Moses may be closer than you think. God can and does use all of us. God sees our lives and the lives of those around us who are struggling. It is God’s deepest desire that all who suffer find relief and that wherever death reigns, people bring life and hope.
We are reminded this week that we are always in the presence of God. God may simply stay by our side quietly. But God may call us to stir from our normal lives and speak to us in ways that call forth courageous and hopeful actions. God is close. Are you watching? God is speaking. Are you listening?
