Burnout

From the palace to the desert is a long way to fall. To go from living as a prince to living as a shepherd is humbling to say the least. Moses went from rubbing shoulders with Pharaoh to walking alone with sheep. Being associated with the pedigree of the royal family who also boasted the strength of the world's strongest empire at the time was a distant memory to now being a stranger in a barren and desolate land.

Yet, what seemed to be failure was actually what positioned him for the greatest success of his life. For only the desert could teach what the palace could never understand. There was a place in the wilderness reserved for his divine appointment with glory. His new lonely home would offer greater value than his once luxurious abode. When the Lord has a great purpose for a great person he sometimes must strip him of all the unnecessary distractions and bring him to a place where the solitude reveals the glory of the Lord and the purpose for one's life.

The glory that Moses was about to encounter would outshine all the gold found in Egypt. The dusty desert ground held more wonder than the shiny palace halls he once walked. For the feet of a shepherd were about to stand on the sands of destiny!

The fire of God is a sacred thing. It is sacred because it originates from God alone. The hands of God kindle the fire of God, and it is therefore holy. Throughout scripture, wherever we see the fire of God, it is only ever displayed in an atmosphere of holiness. Whether in worship or in judgment, we see the holy fire of God displayed in holiness.

Such was the case as Moses found himself standing before the mountain of God. His daily duties as a shepherd had now brought him to this holy place. What seemed to Moses as the backside of the desert was in fact a holy place where God could be found. Here in a place where few dare to venture, Moses would behold the fire of God.

As a shepherd, it would have been somewhat common to witness flash fires and brush fires in that region of the hot and dry desert land. And so, when Moses encountered this burning bush he was most likely not too alarmed. However, what was most intriguing to Moses was that though the bush was on fire and actively burning, the bush was not consumed! Now, there are few things in life more obvious than the fact that when something is set on fire, it will eventually burn up and be consumed by the flame.

Moses was captivated not so much with the burning of the bush, but rather that the bush was not consumed by the fire. His fascination was with the perplexity that though the bush was burning, it did not burn out. For something to be on fire, yet not be consumed, is nothing short of a miracle from God. He is the only one who could orchestrate such a miraculous conundrum.

The miracle that caught Moses' attention is the same miracle that God is still performing in the hearts of men and women all over the world today. Because you see there is a fire that burns that is not subject to the laws of physics, science, or anything earthly for that matter. For the fire that is kindled by man's hands will always come to a point when that which they have set on fire will eventually be burnt up. But the fire that is kindled by the hands of God is a fire that burns perpetually and without conclusion. For the fire that is created by Almighty God is a fire that will never burn out!

Moses was drawn in and wanted to investigate this "great sight" (Ex 3:3). Fires burn up and fires burn out…but not this one… not the fire of God. This fire was different. The fire that caught Moses’ attention that day was unlike anything he had ever experienced before.

I wonder how many have passed by the fire of God in their own lives? I believe there comes a mount Horeb day for each and every one of us. The word Horeb simply means 'desert'. Yet, the scriptures reveal this place to be the mountain of God. I believe the days of dwelling in the backside of the desert come to every one of us. All it may seem to be is a vast and barren wasteland. It's dry there. Little to no life exists. It's a place of solitude, a place of quietness. Yet this is the mountain of God.

The conditions are just right here to capture the attention of the weary traveler. In the land of plenty we are full and content. But in the desert we are thirsty and seeking refreshment. In the land of plenty we are distracted with pleasure. But in the desert the stillness rings loud in our ears.

It is here we find God, away from it all. We may long for the valley where the fresh waters flow. But the mountain is where our lives can be changed. The river brings life and sustains us. But the mountain proves to be the place where we find what we need most…the fire of God.

The burning bush wasn't found near fresh waters and streams. The burning bush was discovered on the backside of a desert. Here the conditions are perfect for the fire of God to burn. We may long to see the miraculous, yet how often are we unwilling to make our way to the place conducive to the fire of God? Comfort is not the concern of our God. In fact, it may be the greatest hindrance to us seeing the burning bush in our lives.

Only those willing to make the journey to the mountain of God will be able to put themselves in position to see the fire of God. Some may come unaware but they come none the less. The only thing standing between us and God's mountain is a desert. Embrace the day you find yourself in the desert of your life. Look onward and upward. For the mountain of God is the place he is drawing you to.

Here in the desert, the Lord had Moses' attention. No distractions, no other options, just Moses, the Lord, and a bush. And as Moses beheld the miracle of the burning bush, the next thing he experienced was the voice of God calling his name