Burning Bushes

 Michael Sprague

Every little while, I will have some young, discouraged, follower of Jesus get to the end of themselves and admit, “I just cannot live this life. I cannot. It is overwhelming.” They are often shocked by my answer. I will tell them. “You are amazing. You have already picked up the whole secret of our faith. You are 20 years head of me. I wish I had learned this lesson at your age.” The truth is WE CAN’T. WE CAN’T, HE CAN. It is not possible to live the life of God without the life of God. You can never be the person He wants you to be…until you realize you can never be the person He wants you to be. That is not double talk but reality. Only the Holy Spirit living in us can produce the Life of Christ through us… no matter if you are Billy Graham, Mother Teresa or the Apostle Paul.

Moses had 40 years of thinking he could do anything drilled into him in Egypt. It took 40 years in the wilderness to be broken of his utter self-dependence. Finally, at the burning bush, Moses was terrified and awed yet commissioned for his real calling. The burning bush was telling the truth that any bush will do if God is in the bush. We do not do things for God as much as God is the one doing things through us. Only He can make the good stuff happen. Only He can make it work. I wish I had learned this much earlier … any bush will do if God is in the bush. He can use bushes, big fish, shepherds, donkeys, fisherman and even you and me as long as HE is in it.

This truth is so beautifully put in Galatians 2:20, “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” 

Bushes still burn. Are you listening today?