"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 desert and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. There the angel of the Lord appeared to him inflames of fire from within a bush. Moses saw that though the bush was on fire it did not burn up."  (Exodus 3:1-2, NIV)

         Moses was going about his life and work when God spoke to Him. We’ve spent this last week going about our lives--working, playing, providing for our families, but have come here today expecting God to speak to us. Let us turn aside from the things of this world and hear God.

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         Loving God, we invite You to be present in our worship today. Help us to see You in all of the moments in our lives … at school, at work, and in our homes. You have told us that You will be with us. Give us the courage to answer Your call in our lives. Give us the courage to say ‘Here I am.’ Amen.

         When is it that we notice the needs around us? Is it when we visit a city and see the homeless living on the street? Is it when the media shows us hungry children in a country far away? Is it when a neighbor loses his job? What keeps us from sharing our gifts everyday and not just when the need is greatest? Does it take a burning bush to catch our attention? Don’t turn aside. Let us give generously. Let us give daily. For it is in giving that we are invited to stand on holy ground.

Dear God, thanks for these tithes and offerings. Use them to build the church and bring glory to your name. Amen.

         I wonder whose idea it was? The burning bush, I mean. God needed to talk to Moses – he had a mission for him. And apparently it was the angel’s job to get his attention, to get him to turn aside, to realize he was on holy ground, and to listen to God.

         So why the burning bush? You would have thought that the sight of an angel and the voice of the Lord would have been enough! But maybe Moses was like Balaam, (Numbers 22:22-36) and couldn’t see the angel right in front of him. And maybe Mosses was so busy with his job and his family that he didn’t spend much time listening for the voice of God.

         And I wonder if the angel wondered why God was calling a common shepherd to perform such and important task? Or had God explained how that shepherd had been born to the priestly tribe of Levi, or how he had been saved from death by a circle of crafty but God–fearing women – his mother, the midwives Puah and Shiphrah , his sister and even the daughter of Pharaoh himself. Did God tell the angel that the shepherd whose name referred to his being called from the water would soon be parting the Red Sea to lead God’s people to freedom and safety?

         I wonder.

         You’ve been here and heard the word of God. Now go, and help spread the Word. Uplift those who are needy, homeless, sick, unsaved, and like Moses, lead them toward God. Be one of God’s workers, taking the Gospel to all nations. Amen.