City Life Starter

Written by Stefan Johnsson

The Word

Moses was shepherding the flock of his father-in-law Jethro, the priest of Midian. He led the flock to the far side of the wilderness and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. ² Then the Angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire within a bush. As Moses looked, he saw that the bush was on fire but was not consumed. ³ So Moses thought: I must go over and look at this remarkable sight. Why isn’t the bush burning up?

⁴ When the Lord saw that he had gone over to look, God called out to him from the bush, “Moses, Moses!”

“Here I am,” he answered.

⁵ “Do not come closer,” He said. “Remove the sandals from your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.”

Exodus 3:1-5 (HCSB)

Reflection

God came to Moses as a flaming fire within a bush. Moses went to see, but God stopped him from coming any closer so that there was a distance between the fire and Moses. And he had to take off his sandals because it was holy ground that he was stepping on by being in God’s presence. From what we read, there was a certain distance that Moses had to be at in order to be in the presence of God and experience His holiness. But he was unable to touch the fire nor could he step too close or be burned.

This is a picture of how God comes to us and meets us where we’re at. We cannot go into heaven, so God comes to us(and 2,000 years ago it was through Jesus’ incarnation), but His glory and holiness does not allow us to stand too close.

This is why we look at the holiness of God as being like a burning fire, all-consuming, all-encompassing. You touch it, you burn and would be consumed; if you step away from it, you will not be changed or affected by His presence. You have to be close enough to experience God’s holiness, to be changed by it, and to understand who He is.

Andrew Murray says the following:

The nature of fire may be either beneficent or destructive. The sun, the great central fire, may give life and fruitfulness, or may scorch to death. All depends upon occupying the right position, upon the relation in which we stand to it. And so wherever God the Holy One reveals Himself, we shall find the two sides together: God’s Holiness as judgment against sin, destroying the sinner who remains in it, and as Mercy freeing His people from it. Judgment and Mercy ever go together.

-Excerpt from Holy in Christ

Application

Where are you in relation to experiencing God’s holiness? Are you in awe of God and seeking His presence? Do you get down on your knees to worship your Lord who is perfectly good and majestic?

Do not be afraid to step into the presence of the burning bush. It cleans you from within and burns away the sin that clings.

Prayer

Father in heaven, thank You for giving us a chance stand in Your presence, to be cleansed by Your all-consuming fire. Let me be in awe of Your holiness and walk humbly in Your presence. Lead me to where You want me to go. In Jesus’ name I pray, amen.