So many lessons in just one little story! Worship God, walk carefully!
by tonirypkema
Reading again that very familiar story, in Ex. 3, I must share it with you:
“Now Moses kept the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian. And he led the flock to the back of the desert, and came to Horeb, the mountain of God.”
Let’s see, Moses is in the back side of the desert.
Do you know what that feels like? Maybe not physically, but emotionally, yes. And even spiritually, you might feel ‘dried up’, or even financially, parched. This is where Moses was. “But he came to Horeb, the mountain of God.”
This makes me think of the Psalm 121, “I will lift up my eyes to the hills – From whence comes my help? My help comes from the LORD, Who made the heaven and earth.”
Yes, I hear the Lord say so much in this verse, “But he came to Horeb, the mountain of God.” I hear Him say, “Be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” Hebrews 13:5.
And that is exactly what we can see as the story continues:
Exodus 3:2, “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 burned with fire, but the bush was not consumed.”
Is Moses feeling as if he is ‘put on a shelf’? Is he discouraged because there is nothing going on here in the back side of the desert – but all of a sudden “the Angel of the LORD appeared to him in a flame of fire from the midst of a bush, but the bush was not consumed.”
This brings to mind so many scriptures that God has given me in the past, scriptures that God perhaps wants you and me to have settled deep withing our hearts,
“For it is God who commanded light to shine out of darkness who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. But we have this treasure, (which is Jesus, which is the fire burning), in earthen vessels, ( or our own broken lives, or measly little bushes!), that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us.” 2 Cor. 4:6,7.
”
And to think that the bush was not consumed. Doesn’t that make you think of Paul’s writings in 2 Corinthians 4:8-10?,
“We are hard pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed – always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body.”
Just an old dried out bush in the back side of the desert, shining ever so bright with the Angel of the LORD appearing in the form of fire – and the bush was not consumed!
And this is my favorite part:
“Then Moses said, “I will now turn aside and see this great sight, why the bush does not burn.”Exodus 3:3.
I have recently learned that the word ‘worship’ in the Greek comes from a word meaning, ‘to turn toward and kiss.'(proskuneo).
Could God possibly be showing you and me today, in this most familiar story, that while Moses was for years in the back side of the desert, seemingly ‘put on a shelf’, that the LORD was with him,and has a plan.
Just like Jeremiah 29:11,
“For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord. Plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a future and a hope.”
And not only that – but Moses chose to turn aside and…and to let us all know his desire, “I will now turn aside and see this great sight, why the bush does not burn.”
Yes! It is today, that God has shown me through this simple story so many of the truths He wants me to hold on to. Don’t you see it?
The bush does not burn! Why?
Because Lamentations 3:22-23 tells us why,
“Through the LORD’s mercies we are not consumed,
Because His compassions fail not.
They are new every morning;
Great is Your faithfulness.”
I believe Moses worshiped the Lord.
Oh, how we need to worship Him.
“Oh come, let us worship and bow down; Let us kneel before the LORD our Maker. for He is our God,
And we are the people of His pasture,
and the sheep of His hand.” Ps. 95:6,7.
So the story continues, ex. 3:4,“So when the LORD saw that he turned aside to look, God called to him from the midst of the bush and said, “Moses, Moses!” and he said, “Here I am.”
God speaks to us in these stories, specifically.We have become witnesses ourselves, and in Is. 43:10. God speaks, “You are My witnesses,” says the LORD, and My servant whom I have chosen, that you may know and believe Me, and understand that I am He…I, even I am the LORD.”
And God speaks to Moses in Ex. 3:5, “Then He said, “Do not draw near this place. Take your sandals off your feet, for the place where you stand is holy ground.”
All I know is that when I am bare footed, I have to walk real carefully!
Today I will worship God for His steadfast love and walk carefully.
“Now Moses kept the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian. And he led the flock to the back of the desert, and came to Horeb, the mountain of God.”
Let’s see, Moses is in the back side of the desert.
Do you know what that feels like? Maybe not physically, but emotionally, yes. And even spiritually, you might feel ‘dried up’, or even financially, parched. This is where Moses was. “But he came to Horeb, the mountain of God.”
This makes me think of the Psalm 121, “I will lift up my eyes to the hills – From whence comes my help? My help comes from the LORD, Who made the heaven and earth.”
Yes, I hear the Lord say so much in this verse, “But he came to Horeb, the mountain of God.” I hear Him say, “Be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” Hebrews 13:5.
And that is exactly what we can see as the story continues:
Exodus 3:2, “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 burned with fire, but the bush was not consumed.”
Is Moses feeling as if he is ‘put on a shelf’? Is he discouraged because there is nothing going on here in the back side of the desert – but all of a sudden “the Angel of the LORD appeared to him in a flame of fire from the midst of a bush, but the bush was not consumed.”
This brings to mind so many scriptures that God has given me in the past, scriptures that God perhaps wants you and me to have settled deep withing our hearts,
“For it is God who commanded light to shine out of darkness who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. But we have this treasure, (which is Jesus, which is the fire burning), in earthen vessels, ( or our own broken lives, or measly little bushes!), that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us.” 2 Cor. 4:6,7.
”
And to think that the bush was not consumed. Doesn’t that make you think of Paul’s writings in 2 Corinthians 4:8-10?,
“We are hard pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed – always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body.”
Just an old dried out bush in the back side of the desert, shining ever so bright with the Angel of the LORD appearing in the form of fire – and the bush was not consumed!
And this is my favorite part:
“Then Moses said, “I will now turn aside and see this great sight, why the bush does not burn.”Exodus 3:3.
I have recently learned that the word ‘worship’ in the Greek comes from a word meaning, ‘to turn toward and kiss.'(proskuneo).
Could God possibly be showing you and me today, in this most familiar story, that while Moses was for years in the back side of the desert, seemingly ‘put on a shelf’, that the LORD was with him,and has a plan.
Just like Jeremiah 29:11,
“For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord. Plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a future and a hope.”
And not only that – but Moses chose to turn aside and…and to let us all know his desire, “I will now turn aside and see this great sight, why the bush does not burn.”
Yes! It is today, that God has shown me through this simple story so many of the truths He wants me to hold on to. Don’t you see it?
The bush does not burn! Why?
Because Lamentations 3:22-23 tells us why,
“Through the LORD’s mercies we are not consumed,
Because His compassions fail not.
They are new every morning;
Great is Your faithfulness.”
I believe Moses worshiped the Lord.
Oh, how we need to worship Him.
“Oh come, let us worship and bow down; Let us kneel before the LORD our Maker. for He is our God,
And we are the people of His pasture,
and the sheep of His hand.” Ps. 95:6,7.
So the story continues, ex. 3:4,“So when the LORD saw that he turned aside to look, God called to him from the midst of the bush and said, “Moses, Moses!” and he said, “Here I am.”
God speaks to us in these stories, specifically.We have become witnesses ourselves, and in Is. 43:10. God speaks, “You are My witnesses,” says the LORD, and My servant whom I have chosen, that you may know and believe Me, and understand that I am He…I, even I am the LORD.”
And God speaks to Moses in Ex. 3:5, “Then He said, “Do not draw near this place. Take your sandals off your feet, for the place where you stand is holy ground.”
All I know is that when I am bare footed, I have to walk real carefully!
Today I will worship God for His steadfast love and walk carefully.