This look into Moses and the burning bush is something I studied in my 20’s and it’s stuck with me over the years. It’s still very encouraging to me today.

Exodus Chapter 3:1-4

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 wilderness and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. There 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.”

A little background on Moses and the reason he’s in the wilderness at this time. Moses, an Israelite, was raised by the pharaoh’s daughter as if he were an Egyptian prince. One day, after learning his true heritage, he saw an Egyptian beating one of his own people, a Hebrew. Moses killed the Egyptian. When he was found out, Moses fled and ended up in the wilderness where he married and started a family. Moses was likely at a pretty low point in his life when he sees the burning bush.

Major Ian Thomas is the author of a great little book, “The Saving Life of Christ.” In this book, he gives his take on what happened then after God calls to Moses and Moses says, here I am. This is what he says:

I think it must’ve gone something like this. He says, Moses, you have done a wise thing and making intelligent inquiry, for you thought that this was a very remarkable bush. You thought there must be something about it at once peculiar and wonderful, something unique that it could burn and burn and burn and go on burning and yet not burn itself out. But you were wrong — You are quite wrong! Do you see that bush over there? That scruffy, scraggy looking thing — That bush would have done! Do you see this beautiful looking bush, so shapely and fine — This bush would have done! For you see, Moses, any old bush will do — any old bush — if only God is in the bush!

The trouble with you, Moses, is this: 40 years ago, learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, mighty in word and deed, you admired your own foliage! You thought you were some bush! But you burned yourself out in 24 hours and you have been a heap of ashes for 40 years! If this bush that you have admired were depending on its own substance to sustain the flame, it too would burn itself out in 24 hours; it too would be a heap of ashes like you. But it is not the bush that sustains the flame, it is God in the bush; and any old bush will do!

That is so meaningful to me because I am just any old bush! There is nothing special about the people God uses. There isn’t anything special about the people who have achieved Royal Crown Diamond in Young Living! In fact, I recall the first time I heard some of the folks who are now Diamonds speak at the Young Living Convention. One in particular, who achieved Diamond in just 13 months was so timid and bashful. Another person who is now an inspiring fireball when she speaks was giggly and goofy and acted like she couldn’t believe she was there standing in front of thousands of people.

How do we allow God to work through us in mighty ways like this? We need to be faithful, available and teachable.

Faithful

We must abide in Christ. Trust him completely and also seek him daily through prayer and scripture.

Available

Watching around us to see where God is at work and then join in that work!

Teachable

No matter how old we are, we always have to be open to learning new things. One of my favorite quotes is by Leonardo da Vinci. He said: “Learning never exhausts the mind.” Our bodies will tire, and our stamina fails, but our mind can never be full to capacity.

Be encouraged to be faithful, available and teachable. And when you hear God calling? Step up and say to him as Moses did, “Here I am!”