Make Space

In Exodus 3, Moses encounters a burning bush, a bush that is on fire but not consumed by the fire. As he approaches to see this unusual sight, God speaks to him from within the bush. God surprised Moses with a new assignment, a new purpose, a new direction for his life.

I've been thinking about this and some other things lately. God is a God of new, and He is always working to bring about new purpose and new direction in us. But, as I look around and inward, I see that I may not be ready for anything new.

I have no space for a surprise from God.

Moses had to leave Egypt, and he spent decades in the desert with sheep. In fact, he wasn't even looking for anything different than what he had when God spoke. But Moses had room for God's surprise. He had time to think and space for something new. In fact, he had so much "space" that he created several objections to this new thing.

I have the opposite problem. (Well I can create objections pretty well, too.) I have so much stuff crowded into my life that I probably wouldn't even see a bush burning along my path. Or if I did, I wouldn't stop to check it out. I would need to get to the next thing.

My schedule is quite full. My physical space is plenty full. My heart and spirit are crowded with emotions resulting from things happening recently.

I have no space for a surprise from God.

That's my current message - the one that keeps playing in my head. Get things in order. Make space. Get rid of stuff. Create an open area where I can breathe and rest and prepare for whatever may come.

I wrote recently about having physical, mental, and spiritual clutter that I need to sort things out. Now I have even more reason for sprucing up.

I need to make space. I need to be ready. A surprise from God could be coming.