"Turn Aside And Draw Near"

Now Moses kept the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian. And he led the flock to the back of the desert, and came to Horeb, the mountain of God.

And the Angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire from the midst of a bush. So he looked, and behold, the bush burned with fire, but the bush was not consumed.

Then Moses said, "I will now turn aside and see this great sight, why the bush does not burn."

So when the Lord saw that he turned aside to look, God called to him from the midst of the bush and said, "Moses, Moses!" And he said, "Here I am."

Then He said, "Do not draw near this place. Take your sandals off your feet, for the place where you stand is holy ground."

Moreover He said, "I am the God of your father--the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob." And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look upon God. Exodus 3:1-6
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I keep coming back to this moment in the life of Moses where he meets with God. It is the moment when he turned aside to check out the flame of fire from the midst of a burning bush. In the process of turning aside he meets with God who tells him to take off his sandals because the place he was standing was holy ground.

Every time I think about this moment where Moses saw the burning bush and turned aside from his day to day to check it out it reminds of my need to do the same. It reminds me of my need to always respond when I see God at work by drawing near to find Him in the midst and to see what He has to say.

As Moses drew near God spoke to him about his need to remove his sandals because the ground he was standing on was holy. Moses not only responded by turning aside to check out the bush but he also responded by removing his sandals and acknowledging the authority of God and His presence in what was taking place.

Today as I read this it reminded me once again to always do the same. It reminded me that God is more than able to draw men close in any way that He chooses and that it is His authority that we as His people need to acknowledge as we draw near in response to His call. This was a life changing moment for Moses and if you and I will do the same it with also radically change how we live our day to day as well.

We need to turn aside and take the time to meet with God. Every time He draws us close either in word or deed we as His people must respond by drawing near, taking our sandals off, and listening with ears that hear. And what I mean by that is this -- If He wants to share something with you He will find a way to get your attention. Sometimes its with a sign, a wonder, or even a miracle and sometimes it with a verse from the word that says to your spirit, "Draw near."

No matter how it happens when He draws us near to meet with us we must respond the same way that Moses did. We must turn aside from our day to day and give Him, not only our attention, but the reverence that He is due as the Great I Am.

Turn aside and draw near today! Don't forget that when He calls your response like Moses should always be, "Here I am."