I will go over and see

As I mentioned yesterday, I’m going through the book of Exodus right now and thoroughly enjoying it. There are so many powerful lessons to learn and apply in this story of slavery, oppression, miracles, freedom, fear, wandering, trust, provision, anger, obedience, battles and victory.

Towards the very beginning of this epic story, we can read about Moses and the well-known “burning bush” (found in Exodus chapter 3).

I loved that Moses was just going about his day, tending his father-in-law’s sheep, when …

… 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.’

I have always pictured Moses just moseying through the mountains and fields with the sheep and be stopped dead in his tracks with a flaming, but not burning up, bush right in front of him. But, that’s not exactly how the picture is painted here.

Moses was indeed out tending the sheep at Mt Horeb when he saw flames of fire from within a bush. However, the bush was not right there in front of him. It was far enough away from where he was that he needed to physically respond and go see it. He could have just thought, “Wow, that’s pretty amazing and unusual. Hey sheep, come back here …” and went to chase after the flock. Fortunately, he didn’t walk away from “this strange sight.”

He went over to see it.

The Lord saw Moses had gone over to look, so He “called to him from within the bush.”

God did not speak to him until Moses had responded. It was after Moses went to see “this strange sight” that God gave him the plans to free His people. This begs the question, if Moses had just meandered away from the burning bush (in fear or in the busyness of his work), would the Lord have spoken to him? Would Moses have been asked to lead His people out of slavery? It’s hard to know as it was only in Moses’ response to “go over and see” … that the Lord spoke to him. Almost as if he was waiting for Moses to pursue Him, to some extent. Then, in that pursuit, God guided, instructed, and spoke to him.

In reading this passage, I began to think about my own response to what God is doing in and around me.

Do I see various “burning bushes” in my life, but in the busyness of the days or because of fear, I opt to ignore them or go elsewhere? Do I miss participating with some amazing things God is doing because I don’t think to myself, “I will go over and see” what is happening here? Do I stick to what I know and not deviate from my schedule, my plan? Am I open and ready for the Lord to speak to me and lead me to do incredible things according to His schedule, His plan?

Even before any vision casting was done (about God’s great plan to free His people from slavery in Egypt), Moses had a willingness and curiosity to pursue and see.

Do I have that same willingness and same curiosity?

If something catches my eye, do I look into it? Do I investigate it further? Am I open to the seemingly impossible?

I was going to say that I hope I’m always ready, but I’m not sure I am.

Then, I remembered, this is actually part of our foster care journey!

Papa and I were just moseying around in our day-to-day life, enjoying our four kiddos, loving the freedom and the low-drama, no-trauma life we lived. All was “normal.” That is, until we were exposed to the idea of doing foster care. Something we never had on our radar or wanted it to be on our radar. We could have easily dismissed “this strange [idea]” of foster care, but we didn’t. We were open to it. We even pursued it. We allowed the Lord to call us into this great plan of caring for the “orphans” for this season in our lives. We had our fears and stumbling blocks (as Moses had his, too), but ultimately said, “Here we are.”

I want to encourage you, friends, if an idea, an action, a plan, or a dream catches your attention from afar, don’t be afraid to “go over and see” what it’s about. The Lord just might be waiting for you to respond so He can tell you and show you a great plan of His. Never underestimate the power of three little words, as they can change everything …

Here I am.”

To God be the Glory!

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