“Now Moses was tending the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian, and he led the flock to the far side of the wilderness and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. There the angel of the Lord appeared to him in flames of fire from within a bush. Moses saw that though the bush was on fire, it did not burn up. So Moses thought, “I will go over and see this strange sight—why the bush does not burn up.” When the Lord saw that he had gone over to look, God called to him from within the bush, “Moses! Moses!” And Moses said, “Here I am.”‘ (Exodus 3:1-4, NIV).
Moses looked, listened, and reacted to God’s call, he began a journey that brought the Israelites back to God. May I share four simple steps I discovered in this passage that might help you see, hear, and react to God?
Step 1: (v1) – Get Away – Moses got away from people by going to the far side of the wilderness.
Where can you go for quiet and solitude?
Maybe a walk around the neighbourhood, a stroll in the woods, or a trip to the spa or your garage. Any place you can find quiet and closed off or away from others.
Step 2: (v1) Get Alone – Moses went to where God was by going to His Mountain.
Where do you feel close to God?
Maybe it’s a sacred place like a church, or perhaps just being surrounded by God’s creation brings you closer to Him.
Step 3: (v3) Pay Attention – When Moses saw what God was doing with the burning bush, he looked closer and noticed it.
What has God been doing around you that you need to pay closer attention to?
Perhaps it’s the sky’s colour as the sun sets or hearing a baby laugh or maybe it’s getting caught up in the sheer extravagance of God’s creation.
Step 4: (v4) Be Ready to Listen – When Moses heard God calling out his name, he acknowledged that he was ready to listen.
Are you ready to listen to what God has to say?
This could be the most challenging part because it requires us to listen, not just hear. It can be challenging for those who have forgotten how to slow down and relax. Also, God may tell you something you don’t want to hear. For example, He instructed Moses to go to Pharaoh to bring the Israelites out of Egypt.
Moses asked God questions, saying he wasn’t the man for the job and didn’t want to do it. Maybe that is how you react when you sense God speaking to you and are afraid. Moses eventually came around because God met every question with an answer that Moses couldn’t poke holes in. God has the answers to your questions, and He reminds us that He is with us when we are doing His will.
I pray today begins your journey of looking, listening and reacting to what God wants to do.