How observant and attentive are you? Do you notice if there is a change in something that you see occasionally? How well do you pay attention? When someone is talking, are you really listening to what they are saying, or is your mind a million miles away? And are you curious about what you see and hear, or is your mind dulled? Our Scripture today tells the account of someone whose whole life was changed because he noticed something, was curious, and was listening. Let’s listen to what God’s Word says to us today.
As our Scripture passage opens, we find Moses out watching his father-in-law’s flocks. What a change Moses’ life had taken over the years. In the previous chapter in Exodus we read about how, as a baby, Moses’ mother placed him in a basket which she put into the Nile to save his life from Pharaoh’s decree to kill all baby boys. Then a royal princess found him, and raised Moses as her own son. The first forty years of his life, Moses spent as a member of the Egyptian royal family (Exodus 2:1-10). However, after killing a man, he had to flee out of Egypt, and ended up in the land of Midian, where he joined the family of Jethro (Exodus 2:11-21). Now, forty years later, at age 80, he is out in the wilderness as a shepherd. That is where we find him today.
Moses is out watching the sheep. For a man who had the very best education in the world at that time, who had had access to the best entertainment, books, and conversations with learned and interesting people, sitting out in the wilderness watching sheep day in and day out would probably become rather dull quite quickly. At his age, I can easily see him leaning back against a large rock and taking a nice afternoon nap! However, that was not what Moses did. He was quite alert to what was going on. There were dangers in the desert wilderness - large wild cats, venomous snakes, scorpions, etc. One false step and one could get bit or lose your footing and break a bone. He must be alert to keep both himself and the sheep safe.
That day Moses noticed an unusual sight. Off in the distance there was a bush on fire. That sparked his interest, and he stood there and observed it. Curiosity, interest. Those two qualities would very shortly change his life. God gave us good minds for a purpose, and we shouldn’t let them get filled with cobwebs. Moses noticed that though the bush was burning for a certain length of time, it wasn’t disintegrating, so he decided to check it out (vs. 2-3). Some have said that this was not a miracle or supernatural event. However, those who try to put down everything miraculous in the Bible are wrong. Moses had spent the last forty years in the wilderness tending sheep. He would not have been in wonder over something that was normal and usual. This aroused his curiosity enough for him to investigate.
God observed that Moses had taken notice of the bush, and He called to him from out of the bush (vs. 4). God knew Moses’ name, and He called him by his name. There are about 8 billion people on earth, and yet God knows each of our names. He loves us so much that He bothers to know us each individually. God knew Moses, and called him by name. Moses, on his part, was both paying attention and listening. When God called him, he heard and responded.
As Moses approached, the Lord told him to stay back from the burning bush, and to remove his sandals, as the ground was holy ground (vs. 5). Taking one’s shoes off showed a sign of reverence in a holy place. God was present there. This was to prevent Moses from rashly intruding unprepared into God’s presence.
Taking off his shoes conveyed Moses’ own unworthiness before God. God is our Friend, but He is also our Sovereign Lord. To approach Him frivolously shows a lack of respect and sincerity. This world today has no respect at all for God. He is either completely ignored, or cursed and cast down. Often even Christians have too casual an approach to God. They refer to Him as their “buddy” and their “pal”. There is very little bowing in reverence to Him anymore, which should not be the case. Moses showed reverential fear in the presence of God.
The Lord God then spoke to Moses, telling him who He is (vs. 6). The Lord didn’t say “I ‘was’ the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.” Instead, He said “I am”, proving that these patriarchs were still alive with God, though they had died physically several hundred years earlier. As Jesus said centuries later, God is not the God of the dead, but of the living (Mark 12:26-27).
In closing, are we alert and paying attention? When God speaks, are we listening? When He moves in our lives, do we notice? And equally important, do we show the Lord God the reverence, respect, and worship that He deserves, for He is an all-holy God!
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