2 The Lord’s messenger appeared to him in a flame of fire in the middle of a bush. Moses saw that the bush was in flames, but it didn’t burn up. 3 Then Moses said to himself, Let me check out this amazing sight and find out why the bush isn’t burning up.
4 When the Lord saw that he was coming to look, God called to him out of the bush, “Moses, Moses!”
Moses said, “I’m here.”
Reflection
During Superstorm Sandy, my family was living in Manahawkin, right on the other side of the bridge from Long Beach Island. We got hit hard for being on the mainland and went weeks without electricity. The wood burning stove in our family room became the beacon of light which the rest of our lives circled around.
It was our source of warmth as winter drew closer, it was how we cooked most of our food, it was where the cats would curl up for their long naps. I remember when the storm was over and my family of four all put on our jackets to see what the outside looked like: parts of our roof on the ground, fallen trees blocking most of the roads – it was very evident that the fire would be an essential focus for quite some time. Even after we got our electricity back and school and work resumed, our relationship with congregating around the fire was a ritual which would stick. It’s light and warmth brought us together and kept us together.
I don’t know why God chose a burning bush to speak to Moses with. God seems to speak to everyone in different ways throughout scripture – but this is probably one of the more famous images for God. God seemed to know that fire would draw Moses in so that God and Moses could talk. I love this image of God as fire, as I know how important fire is, how essential it is to life, and also how it can draw people together. When we seek this within ourselves, find the fire of God that lives within us, we too can respond with, “I’m here.”
by Rachel Callender
For Pondering & Prayer
In what positive ways is fire a part of your life: both as an outward object and an inward feeling?
Prayer: God of fire, Your light burns and we are drawn to it. May we seek Your light so that we may share it with others. Amen.
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