I knew it was an odd word upon the choosing. Truth be told, I think the word chose me. The seeds were planted by Nicole Nordeman's song, "Burnin'". I am a sucker for references to Moses and the burning bush. Those 40 years in the desert, their feet would have been burning, but their sandals did not wear out. God provide them with extra protection.
Moses saw the bush in flames and heard God speak his name. I can't even imagine it. It is beyond my comprehension.
Moses also had fits of burning temper that did not end well. His temper tantrum where he smacked the stone for water instead of taping it, cost him dearly. Moses would take the people of Israel to the edge of the promised land, but Joshua would lead them in. God forgave Moses, but he still let him feel the consequences of his choices.
My dear friend, Susan, reminded me of the burning of the ditches on the Midwest prairie so new life can grow. One of my Dad's favorite chores was burning road ditches. A time or two, the fires got out of hand and the fire department would have to come to the rescue. The burning of the ditches cleaned up the debris, the land would burn off the junk until new life would take root. My Dad and Moses had "the burn" in common.
"“If you are burning thornbushes and the fire gets out of control and spreads into another person’s field, destroying the sheaves or the uncut grain or the whole crop, the one who started the fire must pay for the lost crop. -Exodus 22:6
This year, we've seen good days, hard days, sad days, celebration days and quiet days. Changes come. New things begin. Plots twist. We have to look up, look ahead and more forward. This was my verse of the day:
"I am the Lord, who opened a way through the waters, making a dry path through the sea. “But forget all that— it is nothing compared to what I am going to do. For I am about to do something new. See, I have already begun! Do you not see it? I will make a pathway through the wilderness. I will create rivers in the dry wasteland." -Isaiah 43:16, 18-19 NLT
"It is nothing compared to what I am going to do. For I am about to do something new." His promises stand tall.
To sum it all up, James Elliot spoke of a burning desire to chase the heart of God. I love how he articulates his heart's desire: "He makes His ministers a flame of fire. Am I ignitable? God deliver me from the dread asbestos of 'other things'.”
May we burn for all the right reasons.
Today, I am grateful for this year's word... burning.
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