THE LESSON OF THE THORN BUSH

And the Angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire from the midst of a bush. So he looked, and behold, the bush was burning with fire, but the bush was not consumed. Then Moses said, "I will now turn aside and see this great sight, why the bush does not burn." So when the Lord saw that he turned aside to look, God called to him from the midst of the bush and said, "Moses, Moses!" And he said, "Here I am."  (Exodus 3: 2-4 NKJV)

Moses was an old man of eighty years! For forty years, the prime of his life, he had lived in the Pharaoh’s court, in the lap of luxury. The son of the palace, even though he had been born in a slaves hut. According to Stephen, he was renowned in deed and word, eloquent in speech, taught in the highest culture of his age, accustomed to lead victorious armies in the field, or to assist in raising pyramids or treasure cities in peace--all that the ancient world could offer was at his feet,  (Acts 7:22; Hebrews 11:24-27).  But this had been followed by forty other years of exile, poverty, and heart-break. Instead of the riches of Egypt, he was engaged in tending the sheep of another and the years slowly passed away in obscurity. He was a disappointed and perplexed man. His own record was that when a man's life reaches eighty years, it is labor and sorrow, and he welcomes the time of his departure.  The days of our lives are seventy years; And if by reason of strength they are eighty years, Yet their boast is only labor and sorrow; For it is soon cut off, and we fly away.  (Psalm 90:10 NKJV)

One afternoon suddenly a common thorn-bush seemed engulfed in flames. The blaze was pure and clear, and as he watched, "Behold! The bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed." Small wonder that he arose from the shelter which screened him from the sun, and drew near to "see this great sight." Then he heard that inner voice, familiar to all pure and humble hearts, which bid him to realize that the fire was no ordinary flame, but the sign of God's presence.

We must not suppose that there was more of God in that common bush than in the surrounding landscape. It was simply the focusing of His presence which had always been there, as it is always everywhere. God is as near to each reader of these pages as He was to Moses at that moment! Take this to heart, you most down-hearted, most helpless soul! Be of good cheer! God comes to you, even though you are humbled and scorched, and at the end of yourself! He wraps you around, interpenetrates you, and concentrates Himself on your need, saying: "I AM"--leaving you to fill in His blank check, and to claim what you most need that is in accordance with His will. "For the mountains shall depart and the hills be removed, but His kindness shall not depart from you."  This is true and is the lesson of the thorn bush if…you are His.  Are you?

PRAYER

Some of us sorely need You, Father; we have been disappointed many times in the things we thought would yield us profit and satisfaction. When we are most absorbed in our necessary business, may Your presence be manifested to us. May we realize that we are not wandering aimlessly upon the trackless desert, because You are leading us by Your presence in our burning thorn bush.  In Jesus’ name I pray, AMEN.

God's Daily Promise

Promise #54:
I hear you when you ask for anything according to My will.

1 John 5:14 (WEB)
This is the boldness which we have toward him, that,
if we ask anything according to his will, he listens to us.