There are times when I’m reading my Bible and I’m struck by the human nature of biblical figures that I too often assume aren’t “really” human, at least not human like me. Take Moses, for example. Raised as an Egyptian prince. Gave up his rich, royal lifestyle for his real people. Killed a man and thought he’d gotten away with it (ok, that part wasn’t good). Fled to the desert, got married, had a couple of kids, and became a shepherd (the normal part of his life). Then, one day, when he was out in a field living his normal life, he saw a bush on fire and heard the voice of God.
Most (all) of us will never see a bush on fire that doesn’t burn up, but sometimes it feels like our calendars are a lot like that bush. Our lives are consumed with things to do, some important and many not, and it feels like we’re caught up in a flame that never is extinguished. Between work, errands, meetings, and endless to-do lists, sometimes it feels like our planners are on fire. Maybe not a burning bush, but certainly a burning notepad or smartphone!
Moses, of course, encountered God in that strange and fiery bush in Exodus 3. Suddenly, without warning, God grabbed his attention through the miraculous sight. Moses did the one thing that we often forget to do: he stopped, turned around, and paid attention.
“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 3:4).
Sometimes I wonder how many times God has tried to get my attention. How many “burning bushes” has God thrown in my path that I’ve ignored because I’ve been too busy or preoccupied with my own “fires” I’m trying to deal with? I’m not talking literal burning bushes, of course, but those interruptions in our day—the phone call we didn’t plan, the friend who needs a listening ear, the little emergencies we face, and the big emergencies that implode into our lives like gasoline on fire.
We tend to see interruptions as obstacles, but what if some of them are invitations? What if God is speaking in the margins of our lives, in the errands and the ordinary?
Moses could have ignored the burning bush; after all, he had sheep to tend, bills to pay, and a family waiting at home. But he stopped, turned, and listened. And because he did, he encountered the living God and discovered his calling.
The next time your schedule feels like it’s on fire, take a breath. Instead of just dousing the flames, ask: Could this be a holy interruption? Is God inviting me to notice his presence? And, in the chaos, am I willing to stop, look more closely, and listen more carefully?
Prayer: Lord, my days often feel too full, my list too long, my calendar burning at the edges. Teach me to turn aside, to notice you in the interruptions, and to listen for your voice in the midst of my busy life. Amen.
