Devotion

Symbols of God:  Fire

The Burning Bush — Exodus 3:1–6

Moses was just doing his job. Another ordinary day tending sheep on the far side of the desert, near a mountain called Horeb. Nothing about that morning suggested anything unusual was about to happen.

Then he saw it: a bush, wrapped in flame, burning and burning, yet never burning up.

Fire, on its own, isn't unusual. Fire that consumes nothing is. Moses could have walked past a number of ordinary fires without a second glance. But this one made him stop, turn aside, and look closer. And it was only when he turned aside that God spoke to him.

Throughout Scripture, fire shows up again and again as a symbol of God's presence — powerful, purifying, impossible to ignore. Fire gives light in the dark. It provides warmth. It also burns. In the same way, God's presence draws people in and, at the same time, commands their respect. When God tells Moses to take off his sandals because he is standing on holy ground, it's a reminder that encountering God isn't casual. It changes people.

As we move through this passage, we also see that God doesn't appear in fire just to put on a show. God appears in fire to call Moses into a mission - to send him back to Egypt to free his people from slavery. The flame gets Moses' attention, but the conversation is what changes his life.

That's often how it works for us too. God can get our attention in unexpected, even ordinary moments. It could be a conversation, a quiet morning, a hard day, a small kindness from a friend. The real question isn't whether we notice the "fire." It's whether we're willing to turn aside, like Moses did, and actually listen to what God might be saying.

A question to carry with you today: Is there something in your life right now that might be God trying to get your attention — and are you willing to stop and pay attention to it?

Prayer

Lord, thank You for showing up in unexpected places. Help me to notice when You're speaking to me, and give me the courage to stop, listen, and respond - just like Moses did. Amen.

Blessings!

Will Wallace

Principal