But Moses protested to God, “Who am I to appear before Pharaoh? Who am I to lead the people of Israel out of Egypt?” [Exodus 3: 11 (NLT)]
Things were going well for Moses in Midian: he was happily married, with a family, and tending his father-in-law’s sheep. Then God interrupted his comfortable life with a burning bush and a major task: free the Israelites. Moses reacted the way most of us would by questioning God. Who am I to do this? Who do I say sent me? What if they don’t believe me? He then told God he simply wasn’t up to the task. Not one to be thwarted, God responded to all of Moses’ concerns. He would be with him, provide the words, the proof, and even Aaron to do the talking. In short, God promised to provide and so Moses obeyed.
God sends all of us burning bush moments that interrupt our comfortable lives. While they’re not likely to involve an actual burning bush or freeing a nation from slavery, they are important to the people involved. Several years ago, I had a burning bush moment and, like Moses, I questioned my ability to respond.
My mother-in-law had suffered a mild cardiac episode and we were in a treatment room in the local ER. Treatment had started, she was resting comfortably, and we were waiting for a hospital room to become available. Suddenly, a young man on a gurney was wheeled past our room. Surrounded by paramedics, an automated CPR machine was pumping on his chest. As doctors and nurses sped past, I said a quick prayer for him. Not much later, I saw a young woman being consoled by a nurse. There was no doubt in my mind that this woman had been married to the man brought in by the EMTs. Clearly, the outcome had not been good and, while she’d started the day as a wife, she was ending it as a widow. This tearful woman was being given papers, directions to somewhere in the hospital, and some small solace before the nurse turned away. It was a busy night in the ER and other patients called. Sitting there, alone in her grief, she looked frightened and lost. Did she need someone to be with her? Did she need someone like me? Without a doubt, I felt God’s call; this was a burning bush moment.
Like Moses, I had questions and excuses. This was way out of my comfort zone. After all, I’m not a grief counselor, what would I say? What if she rebuffed my offer of help? What if she’s not Christian? What if I misread the situation? What if I got sucked into all sorts of family drama? Unlike Moses, however, I didn’t trust God’s call or His provision. I was so busy arguing with Him, I didn’t let Him answer my questions or ease my doubt. While busy thinking about me and pondering various difficult scenarios in my mind, the opportunity passed. When next I looked out the door, the sobbing woman was gone.
Rather than thinking about her, I was thinking about me! Hesitant to get involved, I thought of all the reasons I wasn’t qualified when I should have prayed for God’s guidance and trusted in His provision. Yes, I may have been rebuffed and told to mind my own business, but I’m a big girl and could have handled that. Like Moses, I didn’t know what I’d say but, rather than trust the Spirit for my words, I was overthinking the situation. This woman probably didn’t need relevant Bible verses; she just needed compassion and I have plenty of that. Along with my prayers, I had arms that could hold her, a shoulder on which she could cry, and tissues for her tears.
It’s my regret that I failed God and one of His children that night. I was reminded of my failure when, like that man, my son-in-law was brought into the ER by paramedics doing CPR. Because her mother was on a mission trip, my 21-year-old granddaughter was alone when told of her father’s death. Fortunately, a nurse stayed with her until a family friend arrived. I thank God for this compassionate woman who did what I should have done years ago.
Since that night several years ago, God has called me out of my comfort zone and my response has been better and quicker. Nevertheless, I know He’s not done with me yet; another burning bush might be right around the corner. Keep your eyes open; there may be a burning bush in your path today, as well. How will you respond?
Beware of despairing about yourself; you are commanded to put your trust in God, and not yourself. [St. Augustine]
Isaiah heard the Lord ask, “Whom shall I send as a messenger to this people?” and responded, “Here I am. Send me.” When God commissioned him to be His messenger/prophet, Isaiah was acting as a scribe and had a family. Nevertheless, without hesitation, his was an unqualified, “Send me!” Isaiah didn’t know exactly what God wanted him to do or how he was supposed to do it. Even after God told him that the people wouldn’t listen, Isaiah never wavered. Many of Scripture’s heroes, however, weren’t as eager to do God’s work.
Although the common position for prayer was standing, Jesus fell to His knees that night in the garden of Gethsemane. Luke describes Him as praying so intensely that His sweat dropped like blood. Having used the word hósei, meaning “as if it were, like, as, as though, or much like,” Luke may have meant Jesus sweat so profusely that it dripped from Him like blood. Nevertheless, Luke was a doctor who paid great attention to detail; he may have described hematidrosis, a rare medical condition in which the capillaries rupture causing blood to seep into the sweat glands and then out onto the skin. It’s caused by high blood pressure, a bleeding disorder, or extreme distress or fear, such as facing abuse, torture or death on the cross! Whether Jesus’ sweat poured off his body as if it were blood or He literally sweat blood, the Lord’s prayer was so intense that an angel came and strengthened Him.
Fowlers are professional bird catchers. In ancient Israel, they supplied the market with wild pigeons and doves destined for sacrifice, small birds (like quail) for food, and doves and other birds for caged pets. Since most of us get our poultry at the grocery, we’re probably unfamiliar with the fowler and his methods. To capture birds, fowlers spread nets or set traps and snares on the ground, camouflage them with natural materials, and cover them with grain. Tempted by the food, the birds leave the safety of the sky and come down to the ground where they are caught.
When my grandchildren were little, our guest bedroom was their playroom. Whenever they played house or school, the dolls and stuffed animals were the “children” in their imaginary world. For the most part, the dolls were well-behaved and helped in the play kitchen, sat attentively in their chairs, and were nice to the other children. But, sometimes, those pretend children misbehaved and needed to be put in “time-out.” In their world of make-believe, why did my grands choose to have children who sometimes disobeyed? I suspect they enjoyed the opportunity to do the disciplining instead of always being the one getting disciplined! Then again, without benefit of theological discussion, perhaps they simply understood the concept of free will and gave their dolls the ability to choose.
As the Israelites journeyed toward Canaan, they turned south to the plains of Moab. Fearful of so many Israelites in Moab and Midian, King Balak of Moab sent the elders of Moab and Midian to hire Balaam, a sorcerer and prophet, to curse the Israelites. Although Balaam tried to do just that, the Lord intervened by speaking through the mouth of a donkey, opening the prophet’s eyes to see an angel of the Lord, and being told he could speak only the message the Lord put in his mouth. Rather than cursing the Israelites, Balaam ended up blessing them and cursing Moab! Needless to say, the prophet did not receive the rich reward promised him. Although God prevented Balaam from cursing Israel, the unscrupulous prophet found another way to get his reward from Balak—he got Israel to bring a curse upon themselves!
Devotions of the Heart 