Daily Devotional

In 2010 I began a renewal. I have had several of these significant periods. It always means I have to start doing something different. It does not mean what I was doing was bad, more that it was time for a refreshing. That means for me turning aside to a different path. In 2010, it was a start over. I picked only seven verses from the Bible to focus on. I decided to start reading those alone, as if I had never read the Bible before. Then I would start praying as if I had never prayed before.

As I jumped into this new pattern, I decided also to start journaling, something I had never done. Since I was making all these decisions out walking in a quiet place, I found a store out there and bought a steno pad (I am sure it was “Gregg ruled!”) and a pen dedicated to that one use. Thus began one of the most significant growth and renewal periods of my life.

There are certain things which cannot be done without taking a turn off. Moses had to turn aside to witness the burning bush and find, after 40 years of hiding, the presence of the Lord. Take off your sandals, you are on holy ground (Exodus 3:5). The holy ground of our calling cannot be found on the main road of life.

Now Moses was pasturing the flock of his father-in-law Jethro, the priest of Midian; and he led the flock to the west side of the wilderness and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. Then the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a blazing fire from the midst of a bush; and he looked, and behold, the bush was burning with fire, yet the bush was not being consumed. So Moses said, “I must turn aside and see this marvelous sight, why the bush is not burning up!” When the Lord saw that he turned aside to look, God called to him from the midst of the bush and said, “Moses, Moses!” And he said, “Here I am.” Then He said, “Do not come near here; remove your sandals from your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.” And He said, “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, for he was afraid to look at God.
Exodus 3:1–6, NASB

There is a place where we can hear about what God wants us to accomplish. Moses found his at that bush, in God’s presence. It is not found on the common lowlands of man, but on the mountain with the Lord. In his depression, God had told Elijah to stand on the mountain before the Lord. There he received direction (1 Kings 19).

There is only one gate to the place of our work, and it is small, not easily discovered. We cannot have the world’s road and this narrow way of God also. In Matthew Jesus said that the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life and there are few who find it (Matthew 7:14). This is not only a salvation verse, it is also the narrow way of obedience, faith and fruit-bearing.

God is a God who seems to hide Himself (Isaiah 45:15). He requires that we seek Him. Over and over. That we make it a lifestyle. You will seek Me and find Me when you search for me with all your heart (Jeremiah 29:13).

Jesus is the way, and the truth, and the life (John 14:6). Let us seek Him. Let us all be in relentless pursuit of Him. “I will be found by you” is His promise (Jeremiah 29:14). There we pick up our crosses and follow Him (Matthew 16:24).

This is not a guilt thing. Not a recipe for burnout, which some seem to desire. It is, in fact, quite the opposite. It is the way of LIFE! It is where peace and joy live. It is love, and it is resting in Him. It is the way of remarkable, eternal fruit which lasts. Not striving. It is the way of fulfillment, just not as the world sees it. But they are not seeing Him!

“I must turn aside now, and see this marvelous sight!” Moses. Exodus 3:3.

Read: Exodus 3:1–10, I Kings 19:1–18. Matthew 7:7–14
Sing: His Way with Thee, Cyrus S. Nusbaum

New American Standard Bible (NASB)
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