Dreary day for Carla in our neck of the woods, although she did get some lettuce planted. 

We may be getting snow along with the rain that is coming down that is okay (for me) but she is itchin’ to get out there without being wet and cold and a shiverin’ from the snow and temperatures.

BUT, she does have some seedlings she will be transplanting so at least she can play in some dirt.

Cats and dog are cuddling up inside and show no interest of wandering around outside – can’t blame them.

So, to day is a good day for bean and ham soup.  Cooked a ham yesterday and using the bone and some of the meat in the soup.  It has been simmering for about 4 hours now, and we will leave it there for a while longer, flavors are blending nicely.

------------------------------------------

Exodus 3:2  KJV  “And the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush: and he looked, and, behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed.”

I sat down in my easy chair this morning, enjoying a cup of coffee when I looked across the valley and saw this tree on fire.

It was an evergreen tree, only it wasn’t burning up.  First thing I thought of was, “where is Moses?”

However, as I looked closer it was a bonfire behind the tree, the tree wasn’t on fire it was silhouetted against the flames.  The flames followed the tree line with the flames on either side about a foot as the fire coned up into the sky.  It was actually quite pretty and ‘enlightening’ to me.

As I saw that I couldn’t help but wonder does God still call His leaders, His servants in such a manner today?  What are His burning bushes?  What are His calls of service to us?

Paul had his ‘burning bush’ moment on his way to Damascus.

Acts 9:3-4  KJV  “  And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven:

⁴ And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?”

Every Christian has at least one in their life.  The one where they realized their sinfulness and turned to God for forgiveness through the sacrifice of His Son.

While we may not see flames or blinding lights there is a purging of our soul, it is palatable, it is as strong and as powerful as those seen but Moses and Paul.

We feel the weight of sin on our souls being lifted off and carried away, it is a very real experience.

From that day on we are called to be servants of God, we are His children and He expects us to be part of His family listening to Him and obeying Him. 

It may not be clear as to what our full ministry in Him is to be, but the first thing He expects – after obedience – is our sharing our faith with others.

As we draw closer to Him He not only reveals more about Himself, but He reveals more about a specific ministry He wants us to embrace.  It may be full time as a Pastor, Evangelist, a Missionary, a Teacher or some other full-time profession.

But for most of us it is to be a volunteer, to go about our daily lives following His directions to fulfilling our ministry.

It may be in our secular job, I firmly believe – and I am not the only Christian that becomes a law enforcement officer that feels we are in that profession to not only protect and serve the public; not only to put a roof over our head and feed and clothe our family – but to serve Him as we deal with the tragedies that we see on a regular basis.

There are many professions where Christians are serving God in their capacity in a secular business, where they can genuinely help others and God can use them to reveal Him in them.  AND no matter where we work He can use us to minister to others – I did it as a store clerk and as a Realtor; it just wasn’t as ‘theatrical.’

It can be as a volunteer in the church or a Christian program, or in a non-Christian program where we can share our relationship we have with Him with others we are volunteering with.

While these things may not be as dramatic as a blinding light or burning bush – and we do know of stories where people who have been less than social all of a sudden have that moment when they fully realize what they have been doing and turn to God AND become mighty warriors for Him – most of us have the quite voice deep inside of us where the Holy Spirit tells us to get to work.

He is still burning bushes without destroying them, we just have to be aware and stop and ask what He wants.

Later. Art (-: