My desktop was dead, to begin with; of that there could be no doubt.  No light came on, no sound, no picture, nothing.  Yes, just like old Marley, my computer was as dead as a doornail.  And all without warning.  While I had been busy bungee jumping, moving mountains and most recently, searching for my burning bush, my computer had died.  This left me without email, without internet, without access to today’s Sunday school lesson, without access to my music, to my work, to my friends, to my college class, without access to my life or all that came together to make up my life.

How had this happened? I wondered, as panic set in.  When had I handed over my life to my desktop?  I don’t remember doing such a thing . . .  Sure Google is now my best friend, although many I know have replaced her with Alexa.  Alexa, who sees all, knows all, and answers all questions.  What did I do before Google entered my life?  How had I survived?  And just today a new study’s results saying our memories are worse now that we feel we don’t have to depend on them because we depend on our technology to know and remember things for us.  Then there was something about us being so busy documenting an event (so that we can remember it) that we don’t actually participate in and experience the event ourselves.

But back to the burning bush, you know, like the one Moses saw, a bush on fire but not burning up.  That’s not normal.  Guess that’s why it got Moses’ attention.  Why am I looking for a burning bush?  Because God spoke to Moses out of that burning bush and I want to hear God speak to me.  Who wouldn’t want to hear God speak just to them?  Leave no doubt — that’s what I want!  To know God and to know His will for my life.

So I search for my burning bush.  I want something impressive, big, flashy, out of the ordinary and a burning bush seems to fill the requirement.  A burning bush can’t be ignored.  A burning bush leaves no doubt.

But I have something Moses didn’t have —  the Bible.  Of course, Moses wrote some of the Bible eventually, after many years and many conversations with God.  At the time of the burning bush however, Moses didn’t have the bible to turn to. Today, if I want to hear a word from God, I don’t need to find a burning bush, I can open my Bible and it’s all there.  God’s revelation of Himself to me, to each of us — and like the burning bush, His word is alive, “For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any double-edged sword.” (Hebrews 4:12)

And like the bush, God’s word remains, “Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will never pass away.”  (Matt. 24:35)  The fire did not consume the bush, time will not consume God’s living Word.  God spoke out of the fire to Moses, now God speaks out of His living word in the Bible to me and to you.  I don’t need to search for a burning bush, I just need to open my Bible.  I don’t need the flashy, the showy, the spectacular; I need the quietness of solitude in which to be still and know God.  “Be still, and know that I am God;”  (Psalm 46:10)

I sought God’s presence in a burning bush but the miracle of God’s presence is in the mundane moments of my everyday.  This means my every moment has the power and the possibility of the burning bush, which is the presence of God.  I can rest from my quest for my burning bush.  I can seek Him through His word.  The miracle that the Creator of the universe would make Himself known to me and to you, defies any logic or human understanding.  God’s revelation of Himself to me through His word, His Holy Spirit and His Son, Jesus; fills my longing to know and understand my place in this vast universe of unknown galaxies and infinite space.

My computer may be dead, but my burning bush is alive and active.  And that is all that I need and more.

“And my God will supply every need of yours according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.”  (Philippians 4:19)

sincerely,     Grace Day