Burning Bush Pt. 3

Burning Bush Pt. 3: Let It Be Holy Ground

We're finishing our look at Moses' encounter with God at the burning bush.

Over these weeks, we've been asking a question:

What makes real transformation or true conversion?

We've talked about at least three movements:

An interruption in life.
An expanded view of God.
A crossroads—a decision to be made.

Moses accepted the invitation to be interrupted. The bush was burning, and instead of walking past it, he stopped and paid attention.

Then his understanding of God expanded as God revealed the name:

“I am who I am.”

And that brings Moses to a crossroads.

Because true transformation asks for a response.

When Belief Becomes Encounter

It's one thing to say, “I believe the name in the book.”

It's one thing to be a member of a church or to check a box that says, “I'm a Christian” or “I'm spiritual, but not religious.”

It's another thing to stand under that tree and worship.

It's another thing to encounter God—to stand in front of the reason anything exists at all and realize that every molecule, every breath, everything is totally dependent upon this being:

I am who I am.

And Moses responds by hiding his face.

Later in Exodus, Moses will actually have to wear a veil over his face because that same holy fire burns so brightly within him that his own face begins to shine.

But here, at the burning bush, God is the one burning like fire.

And Moses is hiding his face.

Beautiful and Terrifying

Think about fire.

Fire is beautiful and terrifying at the same time.

A campfire is beautiful.

A wildfire is terrifying.

Yet they're made of the same thing.

Here, God is a burning fire—both beautiful and terrifying.

And Moses isn't merely curious anymore.

He's afraid.

Because Moses has moved from believing in holiness somewhere in his head to standing on it.

“Whoa, this is holy ground.”

That's the crossroads.

That's the turn.

That's the picture of transformation.

“You can believe in God your whole life and still need that crossroad at a burning bush to turn.”

Information or Encounter?

So perhaps we should ask ourselves something.

Have you believed in God your whole life but never actually encountered God?

Do you know about God but not really know God?

Maybe you've believed these things for years.

You grew up in church.

You know the stories.

Maybe you could recite the Lord's Prayer in your sleep.

And yet, somewhere along the way, perhaps it became information instead of encounter.

Maybe you're standing near the fire, but you've never turned aside to really pay attention.

Or maybe you're already in the middle of a burning bush moment.

Something has interrupted your normal categories, and now there's a choice:

Will you simply return to what you already knew?

Or will you allow this moment to rearrange what you knew?

Because conversion is a moment that changes something.

You can't shake it.

Don't Rush Past It

We don't want to rush past those moments.

We want to stay present in them and attentive to God.

Because attention is the highest form of generosity.

Whatever you're facing, God is present.

Even your grief can teach you something.

Don't hurry to walk past it.

Don't hurry to get on with the journey.

Don't fold the experience back into what you already believe simply so it stops being uncomfortable.

“Turn aside, take off your shoes, let it be holy ground.”

What if this isn't simply a season to get through?

What if it isn't just something to manage?

What if it can become a moment of encounter?

Take Off Your Shoes

As followers of God and the way of Jesus, let's not settle for being people who believe things about God from a safe distance.

Let's become people who turn aside.

People who take off our shoes.

People who allow the ordinary bushes in our lives—the interruptions trying to get our attention—to expand our view.

Not everything has to be quickly explained away.

Sometimes we can simply be present to it.

And allow belief to become encounter.

Over these weeks, we've watched Moses move through an interruption, an expanded understanding of God, and finally a crossroads.

But perhaps the burning bush isn't only Moses' story.

Maybe we need our own moments when what we've known becomes something we encounter.

Because:

“When you believe in God, your whole life still needs a burning bush.”

May we have the courage to turn aside.

To pay attention.

To take off our shoes.

And to let it be holy ground.