Which person are we?

Elizabeth Browning wrote these words:

“Earth is crammed with heaven,

And every common bush afire with God.

But only he who sees, takes off his shoes.

The rest sit round it and pluck berries.”

One may have to read these 4 lines a few times before they truly begin to sink in. Elizabeth Browning suggests there are two common responses to the beauty of Creation. Some people just want to consume what they see, without much thought for the Creator, while others are moved to awe and wonder. Their response is Moses-like, they take off their shoes and realise they are witnessing a marvel from God.

Which person are we?

"Dominion and awe belong to God; he establishes order in the heights of heaven." - Job 25:2

Living in Grace

D3LM3

Your Burning Bush Moment

Have you ever had a burning bush moment?

I am assuming that if you said 'Yes', that it didn't really involve a burning bush, but something that God used to get your attention? I have had a few moments where God has stopped me in my tracks. The real challenge comes in how we respond to these moments. Are we attentive? Do we draw closer to God or are we tempted to turn away in fear?

Read through the story in Exodus 3 again:

One day Moses was tending the flock of his father-in-law, Jethro, the priest of Midian. He led the flock far into the wilderness and came to Sinai, the mountain of God. 2 There the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a blazing fire from the middle of a bush. Moses stared in amazement. Though the bush was engulfed in flames, it didn’t burn up. 3 “This is amazing,” Moses said to himself. “Why isn’t that bush burning up? I must go see it.”

4 When the Lord saw Moses coming to take a closer look, God called to him from the middle of the bush, “Moses! Moses!”

“Here I am!” Moses replied.

Questions:

1. Did you notice Moses' response to God's call?

2. What had happened to Moses prior to this moment? Do you think he felt worthy of being called?

3. If God were to 'draw you closer' what would make you stand up and pay attention?

Living in Grace

D3LM3

The Right Place

 

^"By day the Lord went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud to guide them on their way and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so that they could travel by day or night. Neither the pillar of cloud by day nor the pillar of fire by night left its place in front of the people." - Exodus 13:21-22

One of my favourite words from the Christmas season is the name - 'Immanuel' - and the reason for this is because of the powerful reminder that 'God is always with us.' However, in a slight variation of this word, we see another reminder of God's presence in Exodus 13 - it is the promise that God is guiding us on our journey of Faith. 

...God is 'in front of the people'
...God is leading us 
...God WILL direct our paths
...God is in the pillar of cloud and in the pillar of fire
...God uses two different (but clear) signs to lead us

All of this is done so that God can help his people get to their RIGHT destination - His chosen path and His chosen destination.

I have been challenged to put God in the right place as we begin 2019.
May you join me in doing so.

Living in Grace
D3LM3

A lesson from the Fire

I have been down in Cape Town this week for some meetings - it has certainly been an interesting time and it is amazing how 3 days can make a difference in your world. Firstly, I arrived on Monday as Cape Town was burning - well, the forests around the city were burning and it was a scary thing. As I drove up Ou Kaapse Weg, smoke, flames and ash were evident everywhere. It was like driving through a movie scene.

Then on Tuesday, Cape Town was literally the hottest place on the planet - at 42 degrees things were 'hotting' up all over the Cape. It was the hottest day in Cape Town in 100 years. It was surreal to be in the midst of record breaking temperatures and disaster zones.

The one reflection that I take from these drastic events was a comment I heard on one of the local radio stations. One of the environmentalists was speaking about the 'positives' of the fires. He remarked that despite the obvious loss of property, animal life and forests, the rest of the environment will bounce back from the fires. The fires will actually aid in new growth of the fynbos and for the environment, in the long term. At present it looks like 'hell', but in the future the area will be fine.

It made me think about how we sometimes need to go through 'fire' in our lives/faith and how we often lament these moments. I know that I don't always see the bigger picture, but when we place our trust in God's hands, he always brings incredible new growth from the 'devastation.' So, the next time you face a firing trial, just hold on to what you can and then ask God to give you insight into his plans for the future.

Isaiah 43:2-3
 When you walk through the fire,
    you will not be burned;
    the flames will not set you ablaze.
³ For I am the Lord your God,
    the Holy One of Israel, your Savior;

God bless you
Living in Grace
D3LM3

Fire warning

"If you play with fire, you can expect to get burnt!"

I heard this saying again today and it was pretty good timing. You see the Weather Bureau sent out a Fire warning (today), asking people to be extremely careful with fires - the weather conditions are 'perfect' for fires to spread and cause major destruction.

The Bible can act as a fire warning sometimes too. God shows his care for us, in trying to steer us away from harm. God knows that if we begin to play with 'fire' then there is every chance we are going to get hurt. Sadly, many of us don't listen to his advice and we go ahead with a own plans. In the end, we still come back to God and complain that we got burnt.

"My son, pay attention to my wisdom, turn your ear to my words of insight," - Proverbs 5:1

"Better a poor but wise youth than an old but foolish king who no longer knows how to heed a warning." - Ecclesiastes 4:13

"To whom can I speak and give warning? Who will listen to me? Their ears are closed so they cannot hear." - Jeremiah 6:10

Let's be aware that 'fire' can be a dangerous thing. It can harm us, as well as others we love.

Living in Grace
D3LM3