Maybe it’s the thermometer’s frigid announcement–

Maybe it’s the weather forecast–

Maybe it’s the sun dogs I saw last night–

Moses’ fiery encounter with God at the burning bush fills my thoughts. . . again and again.

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.”

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.”   Exodus 3:3,4   NIV

But I think it’s more than an unconscious desire for the warmth of a fire in the middle of bitter January weather.  I’m trying to follow the flaming thread woven in the tapestry of God’s love story, from Old to New Testament.

Moses learned of God’s holiness.  He was in awe.

“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.   Exodus 3:5,6   NIV

The children of Israel learned reverence.

Moses and Aaron entered the Tent of Meeting. When they came out they blessed the people and the Glory of God appeared to all the people. Fire blazed out from God and consumed the Whole-Burnt-Offering and the fat pieces on the Altar. When all the people saw it happen they cheered loudly and then fell down, bowing in reverence.  Leviticus 9:23,24

For the Lord your God is a consuming fire,   Deuteronomy 4:24   NIV

In the story of Elijah’s conflict with evil King Ahab, the people acknowledged God as supreme and powerful.

Immediately the fire of God fell and burned up the offering, the wood, the stones, the dirt, and even the water in the trench.

All the people saw it happen and fell on their faces in awed worship, exclaiming, “God is the true God! God is the true God!”

In the third chapter of Daniel we are brushed by another fire that doesn’t burn.  Although Daniel’s fellow exiles weren’t sure if they would be saved, they were confident that the Lord was able to rescue them from the king’s furnace.

Nebuchadnezzar then approached the opening of the blazing furnace and shouted, “Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come out! Come here!”

So Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego came out of the fire, and the satraps, prefects, governors and royal advisers crowded around them. They saw that the fire had not harmed their bodies, nor was a hair of their heads singed; their robes were not scorched, and there was no smell of fire on them.

Daniel 3:26, 27   NIV

These three faithful men learned they were not alone in the furnace.

He [the King] said, “Look! I see four men walking around in the fire, unbound and unharmed, and the fourth looks like a son of the gods.   Daniel 3:25

Paul took his understanding of the temple sacrifices and laid them onto the template of the New Covenant when he wrote of a radical new offering for worship:  ourselves.  We are living sacrifices–we don’t have to be burnt up like the offerings in the temple.

Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.   Romans 12:1   NIV

What have I learned?

The bush blazes on holy ground.  I take off my shoes.

The furnace that was meant to destroy only ignites the ropes that bind me.

The fire of life burns hot, but I am not consumed.

I am not the ashes I deserve to be.

Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail.   Lamentations 3:22   NIV

The voice from within the bush calls my name, and I answer, “Here I am.”

The sacrifice I offer in worship is myself,

and I walk into the flames willingly, because the fire is His great love.

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photo #2 by Barb Briggs

photo #4 a happy, photographic “accident” that happened while writing this post

linking with Jennifer Dukes Lee

linking with walkingredeemed.org