Max’s Corner
- Pastor Max Walker
It was just another day!
Moses had just driven the sheep to Mt Horeb as he had done many times before. The land was just as hot and inhospitable and he was glad to rest in the shade and let the sheep browse. He knew that this was a holy place but frankly he was more interested in finding a decent shady spot before the sun hit its zenith. He closed his eyes in that half state between sleep and being awake. He was attracted to a bright light source, a bush aflame.
This was not that unusual in the area as the crystals in the rocks acted like a magnifying glass and the focused intensity caused it to burst into flame. What grabbed his attention was the fact that despite the flames the bush was not being consumed. In his previous life as an overlord in Egypt he would not have wasted time on investigating the phenomenon but, in the timelessness of the desert, he had learned to use his time effectively. He therefore went and had a closer look. Elizabeth Barret Browning writes: “Earth is crammed with heaven and every common bush afire with God, but only he who sees takes off his shoes. ” Moses realized he was in a holy place in the wilderness at that moment and as an act of homage, dedication, and awe took off his shoes as he recognised that this was Holy Ground. It was just another day. However, it was a God moment when God spoke into the life of the shepherd changing it forever.
1. In the wilderness of life we can go through dry and desert times without observing the burning bush God places before us. Our burning bush may be, the counsel of as friend, a phone call to action, a film we see that moves us, the plea of a child, the call to be compassionate, the challenge of social justice. We can continue on ignoring the flames.
2. We respond to the burning bush and God speaks into our life making his purposes known.
3, We see the miracle that can occur but nothing happens until we in faith go forward in response to God’s call. Until we make a move God’s plan cannot be put into action. When we respond an ordinary day becomes an extraordinary day as we live our life looking for God given opportunities . Remember Moses was 80 when he saw a burning bush that turned his life upside down. He had experienced many ordinary days but when the opportunity came he responded.
We need to be constantly aware that God may change our ordinary day and challenge us to be his person to create exciting changes that, like Moses, turn our lives from mundane and mediocre into lives empowered by the power of God.
Pastor Max Walker.
