By Judy Villanueva

Exodus 3:3-8
Now Moses was tending the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian, and he led the flock to the far side of the wilderness and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. There the angel of the Lord appeared to him in flames of fire from within a bush. Moses saw that though the bush was on fire it did not burn up. So Moses thought, “I will go over and see this strange sight—why the bush does not burn up.”

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.”

Moses was about the business of a normal day when he encountered God. I doubt he was expecting to meet an angel on route to the west side of the wilderness, let alone in the middle of a blazing fire! One thing is certain, Moses was available to notice an extraordinary phenomena and move in for a closer look! “I must turn aside now and see this marvelous sight, why the bush is not burned up.” How often am I too busy to notice an invitation from God?  Life is about the everyday stuff, but life is also divinely purposed and always about God in our midst  who waits for us to turn aside so He can meet with us.

When God saw that He had Moses attention He called to him, “Moses, Moses!” Does God watch and wait for us to turn toward the “burning bushes” He puts in our path?  Does He know when we are available to hear Him call our name? You may not think burning bushes are common in our day, but consider…

If burning bushes are things in life meant to draw our attention to God then, very likely they await our notice every day.

What kinds of things in your day are quietly unique, unexpected or “shiny” in their ordinary-ness? Likewise, where is your place of angst, the thing that burns whenever you think of it?  Admittedly, we are more drawn to move toward a pleasant thing, but if God is able to speak from the center of ANY thing, then being curious and willing to move in close, holds the promise of ZOE* life!

My burning bushes this week included catching sight of the full moon sitting atop a craggy ridge, soaking in the company of a good friend, and kneeling in prayer next to the bushes over which I feel angst.

These may seem too trivial to “count,” but counting the life that is ours…the life around us is what we have, and it matters!

Moses moved toward the burning bush and heard God call His name!  He answered, “Here I am.” Three words that conveyed availability and a heart that was all in, ready to hear what God would say next. God had a plan for Moses and, embedded in our days are both GENTLE and GIANT callings to love.  From the center of our ordinary lives, God calls our name and invites us to join Him on holy ground.  Here, we take off our shoes and listen as God reveals Himself to us and commissions us to…forgive, worship, wash feet, speak Truth, and always…  bring His love to a needy world.

“Father, I thank you that You see me and call to me from the middle of my life. Help me to notice the burning bushes that you’ve set along my path and make me curious enough to move in for a closer look. Help me to join You on holy ground and be available to hear whatever you say next. Amen.”

What about you?

What are you burning bushes?

Are you curious and available for a closer look?

Are you ready to say, “Here I am, Lord.  Send me!”

*Zoe life-  “The God-kind of life”, rich, abundant,  full of love, joy, power, and ability.

By Judy Villanueva

Psalm 18

“In my distress I called to the LORD; I cried to my God for help. From his temple he heard my voice; my cry came before him, into his ears.” (verse 6)

He reached down from on high and took hold of me; he drew me out of deep waters. He rescued me from my powerful enemy, from my foes, who were too strong for me. (verses 16-17) 

He brought me out into a spacious place;  he rescued me because he delighted in me.” (verse 19)

…you stoop down to make me great.  You broaden the path beneath me, so that my ankles do not turn. (verses 35-36)

When I look out the big picture window in our home my eyes are immediately drawn to the peak that seems to stand watch over us. It’s irresistible!  I can’t help but look at it every day, several times a day because its face changes with the light and I don’t want to miss even one of its beautiful declarations!

“Look!” it beckons, morning, noon and night always inviting awe into the narrowed places of my heart and mind —the places that get small when I neglect to look at God.

Today, for the first time, I noticed a ridge I’d never seen before, a sheer rock wall that stands over a hundred feet high supporting an entire family of aspen trees.  The light, the time of year, and a moment that had my full attention gave way to an experience of God setting me in a spacious place where I could see more of His majesty!

Reading Psalm 18 today felt like standing before a spectacular mountain peak.  My inclination was to ascend up and over the 50 verses lickety-split but, I’ve learned that to hear God speak I must stand unhurried before His Word and listen as I read.  So, I took a deep breath and told myself to wake up and pay attention!

Pointing our attention at God, reading with patient expectation and noticing where we are drawn invites us to see things in Scripture we’ve never seen before.

Reading in this way becomes an experience of God speaking into our lives and, in that spacious place, we are known and loved and taught.

God hears my voice and my cries are before Him!  That my words are in God’s ears astounds me and offers me the great consolation that I am known.  He takes hold of me and draws me out of deep waters.  He sets me in a spacious place and delights in me.  The relief and gratitude that God rescues me is overwhelming but the notion that He delights in me practically knocks me out unconscious!  It’s news that is too good to be true and while I can’t quite touch it, it touches me deeply!

Most shocking is coming upon the words, “God stoops down to make me great”.

I’m not sure I can even put words to what exactly this speaks into my narrowed places but it undoes me!  It broadens the path beneath my feet, puts me in the arms of God and loves me to the core.

“Thank you, Father, for who you are always and for helping me see you a little better today. I see your great kindness in these verses and I am so grateful. There is none like you!  Amen.”

What about you?

How do you pause and point at God?  What helps you tune in to His voice?

Are you aware of the narrowed places of your soul?  Where you lack faith or a big enough vision of God?

How does it make you feel that God hears your voice?  That He delights in you?

I hope you’ll take time to pause and point your mind and heart at Psalm 18.  I pray you’ll see things about God that you’ve never seen before.

By  Judy Villanueva

Psalm 121

I lift up my eyes to the mountains—where does my help come from?  My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.

He will not let your foot slip—he who watches over you will not slumber;  indeed, he who watches over Israel
 will neither slumber nor sleep. 

The Lord watches over you—the Lord is your shade at your right hand; the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night.  

Knee to knee, we sat on the couch sipping tea and savoring the gift of an unhurried afternoon.  My young friend shared with me the new developments in her life, and specifically a recent diagnosis that threatened to derail her hopes and dreams for the future.  It was devastating news.  What would this mean for her future?  What could she expect?  Fear had encircled, shouting despair over her life and mocking the God she loved so dearly.  “You see?  You can’t count on God.  Where is He when you really need Him?”  The only thing we knew to do next was to scooch  in close, bow our heads, and reach out for God’s comfort in prayer.

In his fictional book, The Screwtape Letters, C.S Lewis pulls back the cosmic curtain  and allows the reader to overhear conversations between a senior and junior demon.  Screwtape, the experienced demon, instructs Wormwood in the art of temptation!  One of most eye-opening strategies proposed was to keep the human focused forward or backward, but under no circumstances, should he be allowed to dwell in the present.  He instructs that the past is frozen and the future filled with unrealities—both prime opportunities to chain the soul to regret or fear.   But, of the present moment he cautions

“The Present is the point at which time touches eternity…the Present is all lit up with eternal rays.”

In other words, it is in this present moment that we find God!  He is literally with us at every point in time!  When focusing on what is behind or ahead at a future yet unborn, we step away from the present, holy moment…the one filled with the power and presence of the Almighty.

What does it mean that God watches over us?  Or, that He will not allow our feet to slip?  I believe that it goes far beyond divine spectating!

The fervor of God’s love compels Him to draw near, so near, that He suffers with us as He lovingly holds us in ALL of our moments.

He is not a far-away God, but rather,  a Father, attentive and present now and now and now!

Before my friend married the man of her dreams or held a cherished baby in her arms, she would endure a long and arduous period of suffering, one with lots of unknowns and no guarantees.  She may not have always felt the reality of God near but, all the while He watched over her coming and going.  He was the shade at her right hand, and never, not once, did He sleep or slumber.  He held her as she cried and waited and struggled to trust Him.   In spite of what we do or do not understand about our lives and even in the midst of circumstances that shout “Where is your God?” — HE IS, He is GOOD and  He is watching over our lives with love,  now and forever!

“Father, draw me into your company and the present moment that is all lit up with eternal rays!  Thank You for watching over me and, especially, for holding me in all my moments, both in joy and sorrow.  Amen.”

What about you?

Do you need reminding today that God is always watching over your life?

Do you find yourself dwelling on the uncertainty of the future or, regret over the past?

Can you bring your questions, fears and hopes to God?

God is with you now.  He never sleeps nor slumbers.  He watches over you now and forevermore.  Reach for Him.  Talk with Him.

Worship:

By Judy Villanueva

One of the hardest things I’ve ever done was raise a child.  The next  hardest was letting each one go as they grew up and left the nest.  It’s hard to let go… This is the prayer I prayed over my firstborn as she left for college.

Dear Jesus,

I’d like to bring my child to you.

I see me and my daughter walking … no actually I see me struggling to carry her on my back.  She keeps slipping because I’m not strong enough to carry her, but I keep trying.

My back hurts.

I see you there by the river’s edge…so peaceful.  You can see me…us, too.  You have a warm smile on your face and you perceive the difficulty I am having bringing my daughter to you.

Finally, you say to me, “Put her down.”

I want to but I’m not sure…I have been carrying her for so long…she needs me…she’s wounded…I want to help…what will happen if I let go?

Knowing my thoughts you say,  “I am here.  She is mine.  I can heal her wounds.  It’s time for you to let go.  Judy, she needs ME.  Now trust Me…release your daughter.”

I pause and stare at you.  I want to believe You.  I know what You are saying is true and it gives me hope, but I’m afraid.

I let my grown daughter down and I look at her…words cannot convey the mix of emotion.  I love her. I have failed her.  I’m so tired.

“I would like to trust you Lord and I need your forgiveness for where I have failed…been selfish, immature, impatient and ignorant.”

I give my girl a big hug.  I look at her face and tell her to go… “Go to Jesus!”  She smiles at me and turns…she looks back and says, “It’s ok mom…I’ll be ok…I love you.”  Then, she turns and runs to You and Your arms are open wide and she lets You hug her.  You are whispering in her ear and I can see the comfort and relief on her face.

She is safe.

I see her begin to dance by the river and sing from her heart.  She is free in your presence, accepted and loved.

You walk over to me before I go…You hold me and say, “I know, Judy…it’s ok…you are forgiven…I am here…you can trust Me.  I love you.  You can leave her here.  I’ll never leave her.  Thank you for loving her all these years…but remember, she is mine…and you were not meant to carry her forever.  I am faithful, compassionate, kind and powerful beyond your imagination.  I love your daughter…My daughter…with all My heart.  She needs to learn to walk with Me now.  You need to let go and trust Me.”