If I Could Ask One Question of Moses, I would ask “What Was it Like to Talk to G-d in the Burning Bush, and On the Mountain, and In the Tent, and……?”

“During that long period of time the king of Egypt died, and the Israelites groaned because of the slave labor. They cried out, and their desperate cry because of their slave labor went up to God. God heard their groaning, God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob, God saw the Israelites, and God understood.

Now Moses was shepherding the flock of his father-in-law Jethro, the priest of Midian, and he led the flock to the far side of the desert and came to the mountain of God, to Horeb. The angel of theLord appeared to him in a flame of fire from within a bush. He looked – and the bush was ablaze with fire, but it was not being consumed! So Moses thought, “I will turn aside to see this amazing sight. Why does the bush not burn up?” When the Lord saw that he had turned aside to look, God called to him from within the bush and said, “Moses, Moses!” And Moses said, “Here I am.” God said, “Do not approach any closer! Take your sandals off your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.” He added, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” Then Moses hid his face, because he was afraid to look at God. The Lord said, “I have surely seen the affliction of my people who are in Egypt. I have heard their cry because of their taskmasters, for I know their sorrows. I have come down to deliver them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up from that land to a land that is both good and spacious, to a land flowing with milk and honey, to the region of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites. And now indeed the cry of the Israelites has come to me, and I have also seen how severely the Egyptians oppress them. So now go, and I will send you to Pharaoh to bring my people, the Israelites, out of Egypt.” Genesis 2:23-25 – 3:1-10

There are a lot of reasons to envy Moses — he parted the Red (Reed) Sea — he bested one of the most powerful rulers of his time — he was in charge of a nation that had no home but a lot of people to tell him how to keep them in line — well that last one may not have been so good. But, Moses is considered to be “The Prophet” of the Prophets in Jewish history. And throughout his lifetime, he talked with G-d on a number of occasions (in fact he had the opportunity to argue with G-d — and win).

Moses is a complicated individual. From being saved from certain death by his crafty mother and the mothering instincts of one of Pharaoh’s daughters, to murdering an Egyptian for abusing one of his kinsmen, he came out of obscurity to become one of Israel’s greatest leaders. The story of G-d calling him from the burning bush gives us some insight into his character — for he was not afraid to argue with G-d. In fact G-d became so angry with Moses that G-d finally had to say “Get your brother Aaron, your staff with which you have done these miracles and get going.” 

I just want to ask Moses what it was like to speak to G-d. The Bible describes the voice of G-d as thunder, or the earth trembling. What was it like to speak to the creator of all things? What did G-d’s voice sound like and did the earth shake when G-d spoke? Yes, there are many questions we may want to ask Moses — What did it feel like to part the Red (Reed) Sea?; What did it feel like to carry the Ten Commandments?; What did the Promised Land Look like?  You may have other questions for Moses, but my question would be wanting to know what it was like to speak to G-d. What would you ask Moses if you had the chance?

Pastor Dave

“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink, or about your body, what you will wear. Isnʼt there more to life than food and more to the body than clothing? Look at the birds in the sky: They do not sow, or reap, or gather into barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Arenʼt you more valuable than they are?

And which of you by worrying can add even one hour to his life? Why do you worry about clothing? Think about how the flowers of the field grow; they do not work or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his glory was clothed like one of these! And if this is how God clothes the wild grass, which is here today and tomorrow is tossed into the fire to heat the oven, wonʼt he clothe you even more, you people of little faith? So then, donʼt worry saying, ʻWhat will we eat?ʼ or ʻWhat will we drink?ʼ or ʻWhat will we wear?ʼ For the unconverted pursue these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But above all pursue his kingdom and righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. So then, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Today has enough trouble of its own.” Matthew 6:25-34

Thankful Hearts! This is what Thanksgiving should be all about. Thanksgiving should be about contemplating and praying and thanking G-d for all of the blessings you have — and then living your life as if you were actually “Thankful”. Thanksgiving is not about football — though I have watched a lot of football on Thanksgiving. It is not about eating too much — so much that is, until you feel as if your stomach will burst open. Thanksgiving is not about family gatherings — though many of you will gather with family today — and some will have so much family that the fighting will land them in jail for the night. No. Thanksgiving is about giving thanks to G-d and having a thankful heart.

Having a thankful heart should lead us to live lives of thankfulness. Now, how does living a life with a heart of thankfulness change your heart, and your life? Well, as I see it, it begins with love, justice, mercy and Grace. We should live our lives with hearts of love. We should live our lives with hearts of justice. We should live our lives with hearts of mercy. And finally, when we live focusing our lives on love, mercy and justice, then we will have hearts of Grace.

Once you have a heart filled with G-d’s Grace, then you begin to live a life of Thanks-living. Grace should drive us out of our complacency and lethargy and live lives that reflect gratitude for the Grace that G-d has poured into us through the cross of Jesus Christ. If Thanksgiving is the holiday — then “Thanks-living” is the response.

If you focus your lives on love, justice, mercy and Grace then I’m not so sure you could live a thank-less life.

What are you thankful for?

Pastor Dave