On fire for Jesus, burning bush edition

Flame On: Burning Bush

This week I've been reading in Exodus and one verse has stuck with me throughout the week.

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." ~Exodus 3:2-3

Here's are the thoughts I've had:

First, apparently bushes on fire are not interesting. Good to know. BUT bushes on fire that aren't being destroyed? Very interesting and worth closer inspection.

Second, if we step back and look at this symbolically, what got Moses' attention was a situation that should have caused destruction didn't. When I think about lives of Christians that have impressed me, I see a common thread of surviving and even thriving despite cruelly destructive pressures--illness, death, injustice, betrayal, etc. Like Moses' burning bush, this is a strange sight and I've got to know what's going on.

Third, if we step back yet again, most of us don't want to be on fire for Jesus this way. When on fire of Jesus means being enthusiastic, "passionate", or pumped, we're ok with that. We question ourselves when our feelings aren't dramatic. Dramatic feelings are good! we think. If being on fire for Jesus means appearing to be caught in a life threatening situation that should, absent a miracle, consume us, we're all ready to check out. I know I am.

On fire for Jesus as an emotional ploy seems like something we can manufacture with enough bass, hand waving, and repeated lyrics. MOAR COWBELL!! On fire for Jesus as a supernatural consuming but not-consumed event--that is outside of ourselves. That is something else. And whatever it is, like Moses' burning bush it is a strange yet attractive sight. I think we need more of Moses' burning bush.

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Paper cut by Isaac Brynjegard-Bialik