Any Old Bush

Exodus 3:1-6
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 desert 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." "Do not come any closer," God said. "Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground." Then he said, "I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob." At this, Moses hid his face, because he was afraid to look at God.


Can you imagine the sight? A bush, on fire, but not consumed – I think I would have wandered over to take a closer look too. Moses discovered that it was engulfed by our fiery, passionate God, and he hid his face – smart guy.

Now, imagine what kind of bush this must have been! A perfect bush, without blemish, beyond reproach, surely. It must have bloomed magnificently year after year, without fail. It must have been the cream of the crop – the creme de la creme of bushes! Only a perfect bush will do for the Lord of all creation, after-all.

Are you laughing yet? I hope so. Because in all honesty, it was probably just a bush, like every other bush, different, perhaps, but no better or no worse. The thing that made this bush stand out was not something inherent in the bush itself, but it was God in this bush. Any old bush will do – God can use any old bush.

Good thing, too, because I’m really nothing special apart from the Living God indwelling me. How about you? Feel like you’re nothing special, have nothing to offer of value or worth? Well, the good news is that it has nothing to do with you or what you have or don’t have – it has absolutely everything to do with God in you and all that He is capable of. His fiery passion can engulf us, if we’ll let it, and we will blaze in His glory, for all to see.

Really quite remarkable – God delivered His message to one of His greatest servants through a gnarly old bush. Gives me hope! How about you?