In the wilderness of Mount Sinai, an angel appeared
to him in the guise of flames of a burning bush. Moses, not believing his eyes, went up to take a closer look. He heard God’s voice: ‘I am the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
—Acts 7:30, The Message Bible
Have you ever snuck away to a quiet place, while in the middle of a stressful or troubling time in your life, and simply asked God to provide you with wisdom? It’s a regular prayer of mine. But I have to admit that in recent years I have too often stepped into the river I like to call “theological consumerism.” At moments I approach God almost with a “you owe me” kind of attitude, only I’m polite about it. I reason that acknowledging my need for Him should be enough. I’ll turn first to Him, I reason, and surely He’ll megaphone His wisdom in response.
But I’m realizing something about myself: Too often my willingness comes with an expectation. I approach the entire process like a seasoned bargaining agent. I want God to be obvious and immediate with me. I long for fresh, near brilliant ideas to pop into my head. I long for the kind of conversation with Him that I frequently experience on the job. If there is an issue needing some attention and I come in contact with an individual who can be part of the solution, I frequently embark on a concise, to-the-point discussion that cuts to the chase and leaves us both satisfied that we’ve resolved the issue — or at least understand it better and have a plan for reaching a satisfactory resolution.
Much of the time I don’t particularly want to hunt for God’s wisdom because I’m a busy. Some days the needs around me seem constant and immediate and I want the wisdom now! I don’t want to have to change my schedule, veer off my self-assigned course, sacrifice, brood, study or challenge myself. I want to field the issues of life with finesse and hope, care and realism—and get there, with God’s quick and direct guidance.
This week God reminded me in His subtle, enduring way that He used a burning bush only once. He wants, instead, for us to incorporate Him into our thoughts and allow ourselves to be open to new opportunities, ideas, and ways to encourage others. He wants us to dig deep and think, insisting that we not sit back idly for His answers but be active players and participants in the drama.
God is talking to us everyday. Are we hearing Him?
I sensed God’s presence in the card aisle of a grocery store this week when I spontaneously began comparing sympathy cards with a lady standing nearby. Quietly sharing our experiences with losing a parent, and the value of receiving a card from friends during that time, reminded me that being in the grocery store that day was not just about grabbing the ingredients necessary for homemade chili. That’s easy if you aim your cart forward and lower your eyes. Shopping can also be about engaging in life-encouraging conversations and connecting with someone that involves a few moments of your time and some one-on-one attention. It can be about viewing the events of others’ lives and considering what God is revealing to you about your own life as you wrestle with matters of faith. God will use unplanned, spontaneous, impromptu events as lessons for you as well. You must simply give your heart and your time to Him. You must be willing to re-prioritize. Only then will you hear God as He subtly reminds you that He is moving and speaking.
God may not capture your attention with a burning bush, but you can experience Him and gather the wisdom you long for.
