Summer-time is Thinking-time
Perhaps your thinking spot is sitting on the riding lawn mower as you tool around the yard? Maybe on the shoreline of your favorite fishing pond? Perhaps on your bike as you cycle along Michigan’s many backcountry roads? Maybe your pondering place is when you go out for an evening walk or a brisk morning stroll? Or simply as you sit on a porch rocker and listen to the birds?
Here’s one of my favorites: reflecting on the past weeks and months as I gaze into a warm, crackling campfire.
As we take time to think, it’s quite incredible how lessons from the Lord bubble-up to the surface. Loose, stray thoughts land into place and become a meaningful picture or axiom for life.
One day, Moses was working alone with his livestock. My hunch is that he was doing a lot of thinking out there in that dusty, Midianite wilderness. What else was there to do but recall all the lessons, stories, mistakes, snafus, and sins of his past 40-50 years of life? He fled Egypt at the prime age of 40, but now decades had passed (see Exodus 7:7; Acts 7:22:30). Undoubtedly, many thoughts swirled around in his head. Fear, regret, and frustration likely collided back-and-forth in his heart.
Alone.
Thinking.
Then God showed up from the midst of a burning bush: “Moses, Moses!” And Moses replied, “Here I am.” (Exodus 3:4)
Rattled loose from his daily, lonely introspection, Moses heard the voice of God. He received a mission (Exodus 3:10-22). Every past decade mattered. God had a purpose for all the waiting. Moses was changing through God’s process.
Today, we don’t expect God to speak to us from burning bushes (of course, Moses didn’t either). But through the Word and the indwelling Spirit, God speaks. God directs us and guides us.
Think about it:
What “burning bush” sort of moments have you had with God? Do you remember a time when God clearly spoke to you about a key decision, a personal crisis, a sin conviction, a career change, or a new ministry endeavor? Perhaps an experience like this occurred years ago or maybe quite recently.
Now think collectively as the keepers-of-the-story here at Mayfair Bible Church (or your own local church): what kind of “burning bush” moments can you recall from the recent or distant past in Mayfair’s history? How did God attune you and/or the church family to His guidance?
Let’s take action by sharing a brief story or two about your “burning bush” moments or your family’s seasons when God quite literally shocked you with His gracious guidance and fresh direction. I can’t wait to hear what you’ll bring to the “campfire” this coming Sunday as you converse in the foyer, hallways, pews, or over Sunday dinner.
Anyone bringing s’mores?
In God’s Vineyard,
Michael
