The Louder Song: Listening for Hope in the Midst of Pain, Anxiety, Grief, Doubt, and LamentSample

Moses was a man racked with emotional, if not physical pain. He was torn between his two identities—his deep, familial connection to the Israelite slaves and his deep emotional connection to the, albeit evil, Egyptian Pharaoh who had adopted him. 

All of that changed the day Moses met God in the burning bush. 

It’s hard to imagine what it would have been like to meet God in such a metaphysical and miraculous moment. But we know it must have been intense. 

Moses had run away from home after murdering a fellow Egyptian so he was literally and emotionally in a wilderness—far away from his people. And right there, in the middle of his own spiritual and physical desert, God showed up. 

As you read today’s scripture in Exodus, note how many times something about “seeing” or “sight” is mentioned. Then pay attention to some of the other senses that are noted. In this moment between God and Moses, we learn that God sees, hears, and shows up when we need Him most. Here are just a few things this moment teaches us: 

• God has dominion and majesty over the things of this earth- not only the burning bush, but over all creation, over chaos, and even over our physical bodies. 
• God’s glory is like a fire, which both refines us and comforts us with warmth. In our pain, we can experience His glory. 
• The burning bush is a metaphor--just like the bush, though we suffer, we will not be consumed. 
• We have a God who sees, who listens, who speaks, a God who comes down and who shows up. 

And as you read the scripture of today, remember that though this trial feels impossible, God’s banner over you is love. He is showing up in your wilderness with an open invitation to His dining table. He sees you. He hears you. He is near.