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| Exodus 3:3-6
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.
New International Version (NIV)
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Over twenty years ago I first read Henry Blackaby’s book called Experiencing God. In it, Henry wrote this memorable line, “Find out what God is doing and join him in it.” It has been a guiding principle for me in the years since I first read it. Blackaby built the book on Moses’ experience with God.
God begins his work in individual lives to accomplish corporate good. The Israelites found themselves in trouble. God had led them to Egypt for safety, but it was no longer safe there. So he took an impossible situation, a baby boy born under the Pharaoh’s sentence of death, and found a way for Pharaoh’s family to rear him. The irony! When he grew up, Moses decided to act on behalf of his people, but experienced rejection from his own. So he ended up in Midian.
D. L. Moody captured the story at this point: “Moses spent forty years thinking he was somebody; then he spent forty years on the backside of the desert realizing he was nobody; finally, he spent the last forty years of his life leaning what God can do with a nobody!” There on the backside of the desert on the mountain of God, Moses met his Master. God caused a bush to catch fire without getting consumed. When Moses stopped and noticed, God spoke to him and called him to join him in what he was about to do.
With God all things are possible. Remember another baby boy born under the sentence of death, who went down to Egypt. When he grew up he tried to save his people, but his own knew him not and rejected him. Treated like a nobody, Jesus is still the Somebody who saves.
How do you suppose God will get our attention today? Elizabeth Browning wrote in Aurora Leigh, “
Earth’s crammed with heaven,
And every common bush afire with God;
But only he who sees, takes off his shoes,
The rest sit round it and pluck blackberries,
Daubing their natural faces, unaware
God is working all around us. Look closely today. When you see God at work, join him and watch what he does with you.
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Pray with me:
Father, we have been picking blackberries again, daubing our natural faces unaware of what you are doing. We believe that you are at work all around us. You have given us eyes to see, ears to hear, noses to smell, mouths to taste and hands to touch. If there is some burning bush you want us to see, help us not to miss it. Show us what you are up to all around us today. If we may join you in that work, we would be pleased and blessed. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
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Scripture memorization for this week:
Genesis 50:20
You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.
Hebrews 11:24-26
By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter. He chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward.
New International Version (NIV)
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| Our 2021 Every Day with Jesus readings will follow the Foundations Bible reading plan. Copies of the reading plan are available at Tallowood Baptist Church, or download your copy here:
We would love for you to join us as we read through the Bible in one year, while still having the flexibility of reading 5 days per week. In addition, I will continue my long-standing practice of reading one Psalm a day through the year. We will also memorize 2 scriptures each week. As we journal together this year, Robby Gallaty’s H.E.A.R. plan is a good resource: Highlight a verse that stands out to you, Explain what it means, Apply that truth to your life and Respond to what you’ve read with an action or prayer.
Joyfully,
Duane
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