After 40 years in the desert, Moses, now an old man of about 80, is visited by God. And notice how God appeared to him: through a bush that burned but was not consumed. The way that God appears here declares something already before any words are spoken. Fire is a symbol of the presence of God in Scripture. It carries with it the idea of holiness and even judgement. It symbolises the purging holiness of God. But what we see here is that although the bush is burning it was not being consumed. God was calling Moses to bear his presence just as the bush did, and like the bush, Moses would not be consumed. This is the same for us, as God’s people. We are able to bear God’s presence without being consumed by it. This miracle is possible because Christ was judged for our guilt in our place. This means that, for us, the presence of God is a purifying fire, not a destroying fire. We must trust deeply in Christ for this, otherwise, we will forever be afraid to draw near to God. Many Christians still labour under a sense of condemnation and therefore struggle to believe that God means well for them. But you can be assured that God comes upon you to gently purify you, not to destroy you. You are the like the bush that burns but is not consumed. His fire, for you, is a fire that heals, cleanses and invigorates. As the burning bush was a beacon to Moses, so Christ makes you a beacon of the light of his grace to all people.
Ask God to fill you with his Holy Spirit today.
Read Exodus 3:1-5 as well as Luke 4:16-21 & Acts 2:1-4
