Focus 40: Day 36

A Burning Bush in Haiti

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

Our church was planning to send a work team to Haiti, but for various reasons the trip fell through. One of the most disappointed people was Brandon. Brandon was a seeker who had been attending church with his family for some time but just hadn’t put the whole “becoming a Christian” thing together yet. However, he was deeply affected by the devastation caused by the earthquake in Haiti. Finally, after two more failed attempts, Brandon was able to join a team (this one with people from Texas and Colorado) that successfully made their way to Haiti.

Since the arrival of construction materials for their project was delayed, Brandon ended up doing “people” things and spending a lot more time in deep conversation with his other team members and the people he was assigned to work with.

Through many different conversations Brandon continued to seek and God continued to reach out to him. From his Haiti journal, “I have been asked many questions about my relationship with God that I have been unable to answer. I am trying to figure out why I can’t really ‘talk’ to God, or if I am, how to understand it.” One night after some serious table talk at dinner, Brandon gave his heart to the Lord. After Brandon returned home, he wrote in his journal, “I was not able to build any walls for the people of Haiti, but I was able to tear down most of my own. It is a daily struggle to fill up my newfound space, but I have learned so much. I have learned what we are doing is not just a series of random events but a plan. Not my plan, and that’s ok with me.”

Brandon is now discovering the spiritual disciplines and their relationship to spiritual transformation. Just like Brandon we have to remember that our primary task is not to calculate how many verses of Scripture we read, how many minutes we spend in prayer, or how many meals we’ve missed. Our task is to use these types of activities to create opportunity for God to work—to get ourselves out of the way so God can do his work.

Just as Moses and Brandon found out, God’s responsibility is to provide the burning bush. Our responsibility is to turn aside and give attention to the bush. We never know what burning bush God will use. For Brandon, it was an earthquake in Haiti. But, as God does his work, transformation will take place. God will change us, from the inside out, as we get out of the way and allow him to work. Transforming Hearts…Transforming Lives!

God, today help me to turn to the burning bush you have put in my way so you can do your work—transforming my heart and then my life. Amen.

Ø  Rev. Gary Moore, Transformation Team / Cultivate Member; Associate Pastor, Cloverdale Church of God, Boise