Moses and the blazing bush - Revd Lorna Allies

Tuesday’s first reading in Common Worship Morning Prayer was from Exodus chapter 2, the story of Moses and the burning bush. ‘He looked, and the bush was blazing, yet it was not consumed’. Moses was working, he had been leading his flock out of the desert on the way to Horeb. When he saw the bush he turned aside to look at it. It was then that God called out to him saying: ‘Come no closer. Remove the sandals from your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.’

As I thought about this during the day I was more and more aware of these two phrases. Moses turning aside from what he was doing and God telling him that he was on Holy Ground. At a time when we cannot go into our places of worship, it seemed to me that there was something here for all those who long to stand before the altar and to worship with others.

Like Moses, we can turn aside from what we are doing. We might be washing up, sending emails, catching up with home tasks that needed doing when we didn’t have the time. When you turn aside and look at God and let him look at you, then you are, as Moses was, on Holy Ground. Holy Ground is wherever you are when you are looking toward God’.

That is the amazing thing about our Lord. He is always there and when we make the choice to stop and wait on him, the ground beneath our feet becomes Holy. Take a moment to turn aside from whatever you are doing and be with God.