Moses said, “I will now turn aside…So when the Lord saw that he turned aside to look, God called to him” Exodus 3:3-4
If one could represent Moses’ life story in a picture, it could be well represented by two mountain peaks encompassing a valley. Fiction would fail to provide us with a more thrilling story than the beginning and the later part of Moses’ life. Consider the mountain peaks of his life. Born with a death sentence on his head, in a single stroke of an act of faith of his mother, he not only escapes the decree of the Egyptians, but is raised under the very protection and provision of Pharaoh’s palace, without having to sacrifice the godly influence of his mother! And, who could argue about the later part of his thrilling life – snake eating staff, splitting seas, thundering mountains, pillar of fire, rocks releasing water, and a face that glows because of God’s glory! Is there another life that even compares to this fantastic later life of Moses? But in between these two peaks we find a monotonous valley. Moses has run away from Egypt, and we find him for forty years leading a routine, and rather lonely life of a shepherd. It is in the midst of this valley that we find a pivotal moment in Moses’ life – the burning bush experience. Experts tell us that this bush was the commonly found acacia bush in the region of Horeb desert by the Sinai. They also tell us that bushes on fire was not an uncommon sight in the desert. It was quite usual for shepherds to ignore such sightings. The bush on fire was not the unusual thing, it was that it was not consumed by the fire which was the unusual thing.
Moses notices the fire long enough to see that this fire is different, and the Bible tells us that Moses makes that life changing decision – “I will turn aside”. And as if to validate this decision, the Bible adds, “When the Lord saw that Moses turned aside, God called to him.” There is a lesson in this. God cannot speak to those who will not pause to “turn aside.” The Hebrew word in the Bible for “turned aside” is “soor”. It is translated, “put away”, “remove”, “abandon” , “depart”, or “leave undone”. In other words, when God saw Moses “put away what he was doing, and reflect on that extraordinary happenning in that ordinary event, God called him. We fail to see the beckoning of God in the incidents that God engineers when we fail to turn aside. God speaks to those who seek Him exclusively! God cannot be pursued as a sideline, in the free time, or when He becomes necessary. If we are to have God’s revelation we must break away from a life of “routine” to times of “reflection”. Moses had a flock to tend to. He had responsibilities, things to do, an agenda to accomplish, goals to meet. Yet the real thrilling life that God had for him was ushered in when he “turned aside”.
Lest you think that this is an isolated incident, look at Abraham’s life. The Bible says, Abraham was in the plains of Mamre outside his tent in the heat of the day. What was Abraham doing in the dry heat in the plains of Mamre outside his tent? He was reflecting upon the promise of God, when he encounters God. Consider Jacob. He had his transforming experience when he sent everyone away and was alone by the ford Jabbok. Joshua was reflecting alone outside Jericho, and lifted up his eyes, and the Bible says, “behold he saw the Man opposite him with a sword drawn”. This was the beginning of the conquest of the promised land. Peter was on the roof top when God spoke to him about the gentile world that God wanted to save. Why, even in the creation account we see God pausing to see what He created, and pronouncing it good. At the end of creation, God institutes the Sabbath, a day to turn aside.
We live in an age of action with very little reflection. We live in an age when we want to do things, but not pause to hear what God is saying. Friend, is your faith disillusioned? Are you in the desert of your life wondering if “this is all there is?” Do you long for a burning bush experience? You will only notice the bush burning if you will turn aside. Or, perhaps you are well blessed. You have all the provisions you can ask for. You have money for a rainy day, and plenty enough for the sunny day too. Yet, deep down you know that there has to be something more than the routine you know of. Then your answer is to turn aside. God has always answered those who seek Him diligently. He who neither slumbers nor sleeps will answer when you “turn aside”. Reflect on His Word, on His works. Reflect on the one who makes you whole, the one who has saved you to the uttermost, the author of your faith, and sweet voice of the Heavens will resonate in your soul. It will be as a refreshing rain upon your spirit. It will be a satisfying feast to your soul.
Danesh Manik
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