'When the Lord saw that he had gone over to look, God called to him from within the bush, “Moses! Moses!” And Moses said, “Here I am” -- Exodus 3:4
Around that same time, something else was happening in the life of a young Grenadian man, Moses Thomas. Moses had survived significant challenges in his young life. An accident left him in a coma and near death at 10 years old; he survived, but was unable to finished his schooling; and so he became the brunt of many cruel jokes as he became a hardened teenager. Driven to overcome the odds stacked against him, Moses studied martial arts to protect himself, and soon became so skilled he would be rated one of the top martial artists in the island, even representing Grenada in Taekwondo at the regional Caribbean level! Unfortunately, his poor education and quick temper got in the way of his continued success, and he would not get the support necessary to advance in his chosen sport.
Now, at 31 years old, he was facing new challenges. The death of his older brother during a domestic dispute a few months earlier, and his mother’s subsequent illness, made him a little more sober about his life. He told a friend "this will be my last Carnival" - but even then, things got worse. While working during the parade, Moses got into a fist fight with a patron and broke the other man's jaw, then had a scuffle with a police officer, and was almost arrested for assault! This new low made Moses retreat - and much like the Moses in the scriptures who ran away into the wilderness - he became a loner, stopped hanging out with his usual crowd of “friends,” stopped going to parties and spent his free time teaching young men in the community martial arts and basketball, encouraging them to come off the streets. Moses knew there must be more to life, and even attended a local church for a few months at one point, searching for answers, for true meaning.A few months ago, I saw Moses - a ragged, hard-looking young man, walking a few steps ahead of me along the street to my house. Truth be told, I did not want to speak with him, and felt challenged by the Spirit to deny myself and say hello. After he introduced himself as “Moses,” I thought “Wow, I must share my faith with this guy, not just give him an invitation to church.” Moses and I spoke for the next 30 minutes, and God opened his heart to agree to meet for a Bible study, later that same day. While encouraging him to seek a relationship with God, I jokingly said to him, “So Moses, what are you waiting for - a 'burning bush'?”
Unknown to me, God had already presented Moses with his "burning bush,” the many challenges in his life that made him stop and think, and yearn to find true meaning and purpose! Moses eagerly studied the Bible for about two months, determined to follow through on his decision to connect with God, and change his life. On Friday, June 13th, Moses made his good confession that “Jesus Is Lord," as he shared with tears of joy, the gratitude he felt to God, for allowing him an opportunity to become a disciple of Jesus Christ!
As I contemplated and watched the miracle of Moses entering the waters of baptism, and raising to become a new man, I wondered “How many more men like Moses have I walked past, afraid to share my faith, too focused on myself and my own feelings and schedule, not giving them this opportunity to experience the healing power of God?”
Indeed, God has been working, and continues to work in the hearts of men and women throughout their lives, as He patiently guides, encourages and prompts them towards Him, “… not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9). But as God does His work, calling them in the midst of the difficulties, hardship and challenges of their lives, are we doing our work, as His messengers?
Let us remember, that our God has “committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making His appeal through us” (2 Corinthians 5: 19-20). This message we are called to share - the message of the love of Christ, of God sending His Son to die on a tree for us, still has the power to heal, to mend and to change the lives of anyone who hears it, and repents, and submits themselves to His will!
“How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear unless someone preaches to them? And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!’” -- Romans 10: 14-15.
So whether we are walking the streets, sitting in our offices, or shopping in the mall, let us always remember to share this “good news” with the many men and women we encounter who, like our dear brother Moses, may have heard God calling to them from within their own burning bush, and are just longing for a true disciple of Jesus to reach out to them, and "hold out the Word of life” (Philippians 2: 16).
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