Monday 4 January 2021

JANUARY 4TH - ELEVENTH DAY OF CHRISTMAS

 

                - Moses and the Burning Bush, c. 1450–1475, attributed to Dieric Bouts 

"Now Moses was tending the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian, and he led the flock to the far side of the desert and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. 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.”

“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.

The Lord said, “I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned about their suffering. So I have come down to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land into a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey—the home of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites. And now the cry of the Israelites has reached me, and I have seen the way the Egyptians are oppressing them. So now, go. I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt.”

But Moses said to God, “Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?”

And God said, “I will be with you. And this will be the sign to you that it is I who have sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you will worship God on this mountain.” Exodus 3: 1-12

No telling of the Christmas story is even conceivable without the appearance in heavenly glory of an angel to shepherds in the fields around Bethlehem. These shepherds were perhaps unlikely choices for an announcement of such magnitude and for the ensuing glimpse of a heavenly host erupting in joyful praise. They are not told to go and search for the new-born, the decision to do so was up to them. But, should they wish to, a sign is given by which they would know that they were at the right place. No street names were given, no householders’ names, but a simple clue that would direct the shepherds to a stable or barn. In only one of them, a baby would be found lying in a manger. The shepherds respond with excitement, and their faith is rewarded that same night by the discovery of the baby. Luke makes the point that the child was indeed lying in a manger and that the shepherds were thrilled that events had unfolded “just as they had been told.” The sign that had first given them hope and a purpose, had now given them certainty of God’s truthfulness.

A similar story from today’s lectionary readings also features a sign. Moses, too, was a shepherd, whose attention, while he was at work in the fields, was drawn by a miraculous sight, the Burning Bush. After hearing God’s announcement of the good news that the Israelites would be delivered from slavery through Moses, the shepherd is given a sign that events would unfold as decreed by God. “And this will be a sign to you that it is I who have sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you will worship God on this mountain.” As it would be 1400 years later with the Bethlehem shepherds, so now Moses is asked to exercise faith, to follow God’s directives, and later, when the freed Israelites found themselves worshipping God back near Mount Horeb, to witness the fulfillment of the sign.

As a young believer it occurred to me that perhaps only “chosen” individuals received direct signs or words from God. Many years ago this notion was challenged abruptly one drizzly February afternoon (this was after all Vancouver) when I was an 18 year old student at UBC.

Having just been elected to a position in the Alma Mater Society I was taking my turn during lunchtime answering any queries that came to our office in the Student Union Building. Earlier that morning I had prayed that God might lead someone to the office—someone who might be hurting, who might need a friend. I had no idea why I had prayed this particular prayer. To be honest my life as a full-time student with a part-time job, the student council, and ongoing commitments to friends and family was very full. However, inexplicably, I had prayed those words.

I’d almost forgotten my prayer when a young student nervously approached the door and asked if I was busy. I answered that I wasn’t and invited her in. My hopes that she was here to ask about our student government policies, were dashed when she broke down in tears and began to tell her story. What transpired was a deeply personal narrative of trauma and hurt. Feeling utterly inadequate and silently praying for wisdom, I listened…and listened, interrupting occasionally to ask questions to help clarify her situation. When we were done I walked with her to the office of one of my professors—a man whom I both trusted and respected, a man who I knew would help her to access the resources that she so desperately needed.

Was my “sign” the prompting of God to pray that prayer? Was it my unexpected election win to the student council several weeks prior that landed me in our office that particular February afternoon? Was it the appearance of the young woman herself? I honestly don’t know.

What I did learn is that God honours our prayers and that he is gracious and faithful in giving us the courage we require to respond to his signs to us.

Thanks be to God!

 - Patricia and Tim Pope