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| Image by Bridge Community Church |
God gives us extraordinary directions—ways of
making His mind and will known to us, just as He did with Moses.
One ordinary day as Moses was tending sheep, he saw a burning bush that
was strangely not burning up. As he looked carefully at this strange phenomenon,
God told him to take off his sandals because he was standing on holy ground.
Then God commissioned him to go back to Egypt and deliver His people out of
slavery.
We may not see God's extraordinary directions from something as
spectacular as Moses' burning bush. We may see no blaze in the sky or
light from heaven. We may see no spectacular miracle.
Our extraordinary directions may often appear clothed in the ordinariness
of every day.
So it was with me last spring.
Two friends and I began praying for Canada. As I read Canada’s statistics, I became
alarmed at how much our country is becoming decreasingly Christian. Although
75% call themselves Christians, only 8% are considered devoted followers of
Christ, and these numbers are declining.
I sensed God calling me to
pray for spiritual renewal—for people to turn back to God, for Christ followers
to hunger for a deeper relationship with Him, and for people to pray for our
critical situations in Canada—including some dire needs in my province, Alberta.
The particular verse God gave
me was 2 Chronicles 7:14:
If my people who are called by my name will
humble themselves
and pray and seek my face and turn from their
wicked ways,
I will
hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land.
Little did I know what was
coming. This spring the Covid-19 pandemic burst upon us with the force of a
tornado. The implications of its seriousness became the conduit for calling
people to Him.
I
joined others in Zoom meetings to pray for our churches, Canada, and nations
around the world. I saw and heard of people
turning to God.
I knew I was participating in
great spiritual changes.
God has myriads of ways of
giving us extraordinary directions. He may come in soft whispers through a
prompt to call someone in need. He may send His angels ahead of us in divine timing
to meet a person’s need that was unknown to us. Or He may simply guide us in
doing the next thing.
And yes, God does direct in
extraordinary ways. He may speak loudly through a burning need that arises in
us—our heart pounds or our palms perspire. Sometimes the Sprit’s inner voice is so strong
that we obey and discover later that our prayers or presence has rescued someone
from great danger.
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| Image by JerushaAgen.com |
But whatever reasons or ways
God communicates, Moses' experience with the burning bush teaches us to take
off our metaphorical shoes and reverence God’s presence. He teaches us to notice, and then draw close to “ponder what it might mean, with utter
willingness to follow the wisdom or guidance that comes."[i] God will be with us as we take that step of faith.
As we do so, we will
participate in His greater purposes to extend Christ’s kingdom on earth in our
own spheres of influence.
When
and how has God come to you with extraordinary directions?
What
did you discover about God’s purposes in your family, community, marketplace,
church and beyond?
How
did your experience(s) impact your own life, your faith, and your writing?
[i]
Ruth Haley Barton. Strengthening the Soul of Your Leadership. Downers
Grove, IL: IVP Books. 2020, 2018. P. 70.
