I believe that God still arranges encounters with us. I believe this from my own experience, but more importantly for historical reasons. The Bible is filled with examples of God encountering men and women in unusual places and revealing Himself in powerful ways. God spoke to people in history in unmistakable ways. He speaks to us in the present day through the Scriptures and His Holy Spirit. He answers prayers and meets needs. He still speaks.
One historical example is Moses’ encounter with God in the burning bush, recounted in Exodus 3. As with most of us, this encounter involved listening to God. If God speaks, we must also be listening for Him and to Him. I’m convinced that’s the biggest challenge. God speaks but, for a variety of reasons, we’re often not listening. Moses, most likely, had not heard from God in more than 40 years.
Like the fire in the bush, the purifying fires of humility burn away our pride but preserve us intact for God’s “next” in our lives.
A burning bush is an unusual way to get someone’s attention, right? God can call to us anytime, anyplace and in any way, and He sometimes uses the unusual. So, here is an angel appearing to Moses in the midst of this fiery bush. It stops him in his tracks. “I must turn aside now and see this marvelous sight, why the bush is not burning up” (Exodus 3:3).
While it’s all phenomenal, the emphasis of Scripture is that it gets Moses’ attention. He’s ready to listen!
“When the Lord saw that he turned aside to look, God called to him.” (v 4)
Moses is stunned but unharmed. He’s near the fire but not in the fire. He’s unable to explain what is happening, but he’s listening. God often works this way. It may possibly be where He has you at this moment!
Notice what’s happening with Moses:
He is ALONE with God. This is not the only time when Moses is alone with God, but it’s a prerequisite for hearing God clearly. In our world today, it’s difficult for most of us to be alone without distraction. But honestly, God has our attention best when we are all alone. Cherish solitude as a time when God can speak to you. Build quietness into the margins of your life and into the rhythms of your day-to-day. My best times with God have been times alone with God.
He is LISTENING to God. God will often speak to us in times that are circumstantially difficult. For example, at crossroads in life where we don’t know what to do, He can direct us. In tragedy and heartbreak, He can give us grace for that day and the next. In sickness or disappointment, God is ready to speak to us and often will. Tough times might just be your burning bush.
He is READY. Moses’ words were few: “Here I am” (Exodus 3:4). I’m a talker. I have too many words too often. However, when I sense God speaking, I’m ready to listen. Here I am is a great way to begin—and continue—to listen to God.
He is HUMBLE. There are many attitudes that I can envision for a man who has been herding sheep on the backside of the desert for 40 years, but being prideful is
not one of them. An absence of pride places him in the best possible position to clearly hear and obey God—as a humble man. Moses has no solutions of his own. He has no plans to pursue. God is looking for just that kind of person. The Bible later declares, “God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble” (James 4:6). Humility looks good on all of us. It especially looks good to God, who never fails to pour out His grace to us when we need Him the most.
It may well be that this work of humility was the greatest single thing Moses needed. It may be what God does for you to get you ready for His next assignment. It certainly was for me—and untold numbers of others. It’s a great, refining fire in our soul. Like the fire in the bush, the purifying fires of humility burn away our pride but preserve us intact for God’s “next” in our lives. Moses is listening. God has his attention. In Exodus 3, God begins to speak in ways that help us know His purpose, and here it is: God is speaking so that Moses can know Him. God wants all of us to truly, personally, and intimately—know Him.
He speaks to us in the present day through the Scriptures and His Holy Spirit. He answers prayers and meets needs. He still speaks.
Until we know Him, and until we know His power and ability, we will never see beyond our own lives. We will not be able to see how to move forward and, most importantly, who will move us forward until we know more about the God who calls us to a new season.
This article was adapted from God’s Not Done with You by John Meador. In the book, John offers encouragement from nine amazing stories of faith from the Bible that give us hope for our own challenging setbacks.
John Meador has served as a lead pastor for 40 years, most recently at Cross City Church, in Euless, Texas. Part of John’s story is born out of adversity. As a small child, a severe illness resulted in an irreversible hearing loss that left him profoundly deaf. This has given him the opportunity to experience God’s grace in multiple ways. He has watched God turn disappointments into hope and purpose and deeply believes the promise, “I can do all things through Christ Who strengthens me.”
