"So Moses thought, 'I will go over and see this strange sight—why the bush does not burn up.' " Exodus 3:3
Ah, the story of the burning bush. Fires were not uncommon during biblical times. The fire itself was not a strange sight to Moses. It was the fact that the bush wasn't burning up. Can you imagine what that may have looked like? Can you imagine driving past a house fully in tact with every inch of the house engulfed with flames? My guess is that if I saw that house I would stop, like Moses, and study the strange sight.
As we read more of this story, we see Moses respond as he learns that God is the fire that doesn't burn up the bush. Lets think about a common fire. These are the types of fires that illuminate forests and leave behind a string of smoke as it floats off the remnants of the beauty that used to stand there. These are the types of fires that have the ability to transform a green and vibrant tree into a pile of blackness, in a matter of seconds. These are the types of fires that remind those watching of the power of their deep red and orange flames.
There are also fires that burn us up from the inside out. Fires like lust, rage, and greed; these passions can entirely consume us and destroy the people that we used to be as well as the goals and hopes we used to have. Similar to physical fires, destruction can take place in the blink of an eye. "God is the only fire that can consume an object without completely destroying it." I read that quote a couple of weeks ago and it had my mind reeling in so many different directions as I thought about the fire of God compared to the fire of man. Lust enters with a quick glance. Suddenly, thoughts start to change and boundaries begin to shift. Eventually, as you keep fueling this fire, ultimate destruction happens. This destruction could mean the end of a marriage, wounds from abuse, or the choice of abortion. A fire that lasts seconds means years of rebuilding and counseling.
In contrast, the fire of God completely covers but leaves the person in tact. How beautiful! All of those passions like lust and rage feed off of us. Have you ever just been tired of being angry or tired of trying to present yourself in a certain way? It can be the most draining experience! It is a fire that depletes us of strength and fight. God; however, is the fire that replenishes us! The fire that makes the ground we stand on solid! The fire that lifts us up when someone knocks us down. Instead of being drained in his presence, I find myself craving time with him when I feel drained. I go to him and he fills me up. I go to rage and it rips me apart. This teaches something that is really important. God is the fire that doesn't demand something of us. In fact, he lavishes promise after promise upon us! If I choose to not be angry then I prevent myself from being given over to the passion of rage. As difficult and as tempting as life can be we still have the ability to make a choice. We have the ability to surround ourselves in the fire of God. It is a fire that will completely cover you, will never destroy you, and will never begin to feed off of you. Another beautiful thing about the fire of God is that nothing can come close to it! Remember as Moses got closer to the bush, the Lord told him to not come any closer because he was on holy ground. If we find ourselves resting in the presence of God then those passions like lust, greed, or rage cannot get close to you. Temptations will come and mistakes will happen but every time we find ourselves abandoned and left in the rubble of a fire that used us, we will always have the option of turning to God so that he can start to put the pieces back together. That is a fire and strange sight that we can find ourselves studying and observing for the rest of our lives!
