Whenever Hollywood cranks out a movie . . .

Whenever Hollywood cranks out a movie about the Exodus, they usually end up casting someone like Charlton Heston in the role of Moses—someone commanding, assertive, and brimming with confidence.  But judging by the way Moses behaves at the burning bush, casting someone like Woody Allen might be truer to the story.

Let’s face it; Moses is not exactly a pillar of strength on Mount Horeb.  He hems and haws and trots out every excuse he can think of to avoid confronting Pharaoh.  He complains that he’s a wanted man back in Egypt and that he’ll be arrested the moment he crosses the Red Sea.  He tells God that he has zero credibility with the Hebrew slaves and that they’ll never believe him, let alone follow him.  He whines about being a poor public speaker, who is “slow of tongue and speech.”

God isn’t buying it.  “You’re the one I’ve chosen,” says God, “and the fact that I’ve chosen you should give you all the confidence you need!”

Still, it is interesting to note that, while God has selected Moses for this assignment, God does not speak until Moses makes the first move.  Moses sees a burning bush that, surprisingly, is not being consumed by the flames, and it piques his curiosity.  “I must turn aside and look at this great sight,” Moses says to himself.  Only then does God speak!

Granted, this may seem like a minor point in the story, but the fact remains that when God sets the bush ablaze, God doesn’t choose a bush that is right in front of Moses.  Nor does God choose a bush that is easily accessible.  It is within sight, sure; but at enough of a distance that Moses must go out of his way to investigate it.

There may be a lesson here for us.  As Christians, we are encouraged to be attentive to what God is calling us to do.  But a lot of us seem to think that, in order to be attentive, we need to stay put—willing to serve, but waiting for God to initiate the call.

If the story of Moses and the burning bush teaches us anything, it’s that God’s mission for us may not be right in front of our eyes.  It could be off to one side, requiring us to leave our comfort zone and explore whatever has caught our attention and piqued our curiosity.  If we do that, we may be in a better position to hear God’s call and be set on fire ourselves!