Turning Aside

In our current global circumstance,  I sit at my desk thinking of my life, my family and so many others, and yes, the world.  This story keeps coming to mind . . . 

What does it take for us to stop?  Not slow down long enough to reach out and get just a piece of something.  But stop in the sense as to put a hold on what we are doing. Full stop. Full attention.

Moses experienced this.  He was out tending his father-in-law’s sheep, moving them along in the wilderness over to Mt Sinai.  It was here he saw a bush. A bush, not enough to make a shepherd stop, but this bush was on fire and not being consumed by the flames.  Intrigued, the narrative explains Moses said, “I will turn aside to see this great sight, why the bush is not burned.” (Exodus 3:3).  Moses turned aside.  He stopped what he was doing. Perhaps he had a young lamb he was chasing or carrying a wounded ewe. He stops chasing, lays the ewe down.

We cannot miss what happens next, “When the LORD saw that he turned aside to see, God called to him out of the bush, “Moses, Moses!” And he said, “Here I am.”’  (v4).  What a beautiful scenario: Moses stopped, turned – God saw, spoke. God waited for Moses’ full attention before He spoke.  Moses was told to take off his sandals, he was on holy ground.  It wasn’t the sand – it was the Presence of God – Holy!  God continues to reveal Himself, reveal His plan. (Read Exodus 3, an amazing story).

I’m no Moses, but I wonder how many times God has put burning bushes out there for me to see, His attempt to get my attention.  Yet, I am too busy, too distracted – ramped up on my schedule to even see.  How many times I miss His desire to initiate conversation, initiate commissioning.  In my lack of seeing, lack of awareness, lack of stopping I miss a holy moment, a moment when God reveals Himself.

May we seek to see, seek to know God – at all costs!    May we stop like Moses and turn aside.  God, You have our full attention!

In Him, DeDe (“Let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love & good deeds.” – Hebrews 10:24)