“And the Angel of the LORD appeared to him in a flame of fire from the midst of a bush. So he looked, and behold, the bush was burning with fire, but the bush was not consumed.” (Exodus 3:2 NKJV)
While the children of Israel were groaning and crying under the heavy yoke of Pharaoh the King of Egypt, Moses, whom God had ordained for their deliverance, was far away in Midian tending the flock of Jethro, his father-in-law, the priest of Midian.
Although Moses was raised in Pharaoh’s palace as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, when he came of age, he “refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin.” (Heb. 11:24-25 NKJV).
Having killed an Egyptian beating a Hebrew (one of his brethren), Moses fled from the face of Pharaoh, who sought to kill him (Exo. 2:11-12).
Moses undoubtedly had a genuine passion for seeing his brethren delivered from the oppression of Pharaoh. Still, he had no divine vision or understanding of how God would use him for their deliverance from the house of bondage, Egypt.
While in Midian, Moses had utterly lost his passion for the deliverance of the Hebrews in Egypt. He had also lost any sense of God’s purpose for his life. He had settled down in Midian as the shepherd of the flock of Jethro.
But one remarkable day, while Moses led the flock to the back of the desert and came to Horeb, the LORD appeared to him in a flame of fire from the midst of a bush. Moses could not resist turning aside from the flock to see the incredible sight—why the bush was burning with fire, yet the bush was not consumed.
When God saw that Moses had turned aside from the flock to look at this incredible sight (the bush burning, yet not consumed), God called to Moses from the midst of the burning bush and commissioned him to return to Egypt to bring the children of Israel out the bondage of Pharaoh. That day, Moses began understanding and fulfilling his divine purpose in life!
From the midst of the burning bush, God called to Moses, saying, “Now therefore, behold, the cry of the children of Israel has come to Me, and I have also seen the oppression with which the Egyptians oppress them. “Come now, therefore, and I will send you to Pharaoh that you may bring My people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt.” (Exo. 3:9-10 NKJV).
Does God still speak to us from the midst of “the burning bush?”
Yes, God still does!
God still uses “the burning bush” today to draw our attention to His unique plans and purposes for our lives, to open our eyes to understanding, and to rekindle our dwindling passion for His plans and purposes.
Many believers today, like Moses, have given up in despair after one or two futile attempts or efforts to step out and fulfill their God-given vision, mission, or calling, which may be a result of setting out at the wrong time or being overly zealous without adequate preparation or knowledge of the calling or mission, or as a result of lack of divine wisdom on how to go about it.
Many servants of God today, like Moses, have fled from their duty posts, mission fields, or places of divine assignment because of fear, failure, frustration, defeat, discouragement, or disappointment.
Many believers ordained or appointed by God to deliver some peoples, tribes, communities, or nations are presently far away from their mission fields and places of divine assignment, completely engrossed or immersed in mundane affairs.
It will undoubtedly take “a burning bush experience” for such people to wake up from their spiritual slumber and, like Moses, to turn aside from all distractions to step into their God-ordained purpose or destiny.
Sadly, God is calling out to and speaking to many believers today from the midst of the burning bush, yet they are not paying any close attention.
God’s purpose for setting the bush (which Moses needed and depended upon to feed his flock) on fire was not to consume the bush but to catch Moses’ attention and rekindle his passion for his primary purpose or calling in life.
Similarly, when God sets your “bush” (your object of focus, devotion, or affection) on fire, He seeks to draw your attention to what matters most–God’s purpose for your life.
Most times, the trials, challenges, or crises we face are just God setting “our bush on fire” to get our attention and give us a new direction in life.
But unfortunately, rather than turning aside from all distractions to draw closer to God as Moses did so that we may see His vision and hear His voice, we often seek someone to blame, fight for our situation, or seek quick fixes.
Beloved, carefully examine your life today.
Is there any “bush” you hold dear to you strangely burning now?
That may be God’s calling to you as He called to Moses from the burning bush!
Don’t ignore God’s voice and continue pursuing your selfish ambitions, dreams, desires, or goals. God has a great and unique plan and purpose for your life that will impact or affect many lives, destinies, and generations.
When God set Moses’ bush on fire, Moses said, “I will now turn aside and see this great sight, why the bush does not burn.” (Exodus 3:3 NKJV).
This is what God expects of you today when He sets your bush on fire!
Friend, why not turn aside today to see and hear what God has to show or say to you from the mist of “your burning bush?”
Your obedience may eventually result in the deliverance of many souls, families, communities, or nations.
Prayer: My Dear Heavenly Father, grant me spiritual discernment to see and to know when You are setting my bush on fire to get my attention and to give me a new direction in life, in Jesus’ name. Amen.