The goal of this site is to provide, short bursts of God, 97 seconds where we get to ask questions and communicate about the beauty of who He is. I've failed at that by really stretching the definition of "short" and creating some long posts. That said, I'm going to try to do a better job at being brief. And here we go:
Did you ever notice that God doesn't speak to Moses until he takes a few steps toward the burning bush? In verse 3, after Moses sees the bush on fire it says:
"So Moses thought, 'I will go over and see this strange sight - why the bush does not burn up.'"
And verse 4 continues,
"When the Lord saw that he had gone over to look, God called to him from within the bush, 'Moses! Moses!"
He had to take a step toward the bush before God spoke his name. He had to engage with the mystery in front of him before God would cry out to him.
I am often too afraid to take the first step. I often think the burning bush must take a step toward me, that mystery must be fully explained before I step forward. But this passage calls me out.
Mystery is waiting. The burning bushes are out there. The fire is only a few feet away.
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
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17 comments:
Nice point. That first step is scary. You don't know what's in front of you, or where it will lead, and sometimes you only know as you proceed where you're headed. Taking that first step toward that mystery can really teach us something though if we have the guts to let it.
Thank you.
Wow, thank you for that. Praise God that the bush didn't get up and run away.
I read every one of these posts. I don't usually comment, but I wanted to throw one out there to say that I really appreciate the brevity.
Sometimes there's too much good stuff out there to read, and I just don't have the time to read it all. I love these posts because I can easily take the time to read them, and I'm always fed and encouraged and convicted by them.
So thanks! :)
Jon
I know it says 97 seconds, but honestly , you can do the long posts. Really. don't skimp , let us have it all.
Do the long posts , we will just learn to read faster ;o)
Short post. Long post. Doesn't matter. God is really doing something here, after you've moved toward the bush. He must be talking to you, since he's talking to so many others through you.
I get to see the same old stories in a new way; a way that speaks truth, through this site. God is so cool, using the internet for his glory.
Jon -
Can you create a new site called '291secondswithgod'? I enjoy the longer posts and this site would allow you to expound freely. '97seconds' will be for the people who jog on Sunday mornings, and '291seconds' will be for us non-sinners.
Thanks!
PJ – Forgive my faith deficit but, I think a few steps in the shoes of Moses must be the equivalent of many miles in my Rockports. Thanks for drawing out this amazing illustration; it motivates me to keep marching until I hear the Voice telling me to lose the shoes.
Your posts could never be too long for me !! I love your writing and look forward to seeing new posts every day ...God has truly gifted you so keep up the good work..and don't be hard on yourself..or think you have to stick to a formula..perhaps the Holy Spirit is leading to more lengthy posts at times .. to really reach out to a specific person or people...!!
Perhaps sometimes the Holy Spirit is leading you to make the story longer..b/c there is a valuable truth that needs to be seen by specific people or even an individual person...don't worry about the 'formula' Jon ..just let His Spirit guide you..I'm sure I speak for many when I say we don't care how long the posts are...we can never get enough of God ! AND..we can never get enough of the great talents He's given to you that you share here!!
An unasked for opinion: Please do not try too hard to keep it short.
I always want to know the mystery beforehand. And it drives me CrAzY that God doesn't do it that way! Ever. Thanks for the encouragement to move on in the midst of the unknown.
And also - 97 seconds may be longer than you think. It's great to have short little pieces, but sometimes, God & you may need longer than 97 seconds to unravel some Exodus-ness. Just sayin'...
Rock on, man!
Please don't shorten or hold back. I wish I could describe in one small paragraph what this blog has done for my starving spiritual life. But I can't, so don't hold back. I'm listening and learning, again.
Ohh man... I've been struggling with this a lot lately. But really, my whole life I've been waiting... never stepping up, but rather waiting to be TOLD or FORCED to step up. And lately I've been feeling like God is pushing me to take the first step. It sometimes feels like I'm on the edge of a cliff, looking over the edge scared out of my mind. And God is just telling me to jump.. He won't push me because He wants me to do it myself. He wants me to trust in Him and jump so He can catch me. I don't know but this really spoke to me... thanks so much.
I was thinking about this some more as I woke up this morning. God does the "fire and then feet" game with Moses twice in this chapter. The other time is when He tells Moses he's going back into Egypt to request the people's freedom from Pharaoh himself. Moses had fled Egypt because Pharaoh wanted to kill him, because of what happened between Moses and the Egyptian he killed. And here God was, asking Moses to go back there, right up to the man who had put out his death warrant, to ask him for Israel's freedom.
Crazy!
And Moses says yes . . . but it's not until after Moses says yes that God throws him this information: "All the men who sought your life are dead."
Whew! Good news. But even if he hadn't gotten that news, and even if that news wasn't true, Moses had agreed to go. I think that's amazing.
Jon - just a litle story on Ex3 - my favorite... The pastor who married my husband and I asked me to stop just inside the church and remove my shoes, just before I walked up the aisle. Then as Iarrived at the front of the church, ready to marry my husband in bare feet, he explained for those gathered. He told the story of the burning bush and how God spoke to Moses and said "remove your shoes, you are approaching holy ground". And then shared how I was coming to God and my husband-to-be that day in my bare feet, symbolizing my agreement that marriage is holy ground.
Loved it 16 years ago, love it now.
Thanks for allowing God to continue to work thru you!
brenda
God has already made the first steps for us. We only need to follow in his footsteps.
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