GOING TO THE MOUNTAIN

SCRIPTURE
Exodus 3:1-6 [Message] Moses was shepherding the flock of Jethro, his father-in-law, the priest of Midian. He led the flock to the west end of the wilderness and came to the mountain of God, Horeb. 2 The angel of God appeared to him in flames of fire blazing out of the middle of a bush. He looked. The bush was blazing away but it didn’t burn up. 3 Moses said, “What’s going on here? I can’t believe this! Amazing! Why doesn’t the bush burn up?”4 God saw that he had stopped to look. God called to him from out of the bush, “Moses! Moses!” He said, “Yes? I’m right here!” 5 God said, “Don’t come any closer. Remove your sandals from your feet. You’re standing on holy ground.” 6 Then he said, “I am the God of your father: The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, the God of Jacob.” Moses hid his face, afraid to look at God.

OBSERVATION
1] Moses was doing life - shepherding in his case - oh yeah, shepherding in my case too.
2] He was at the end of the wilderness, and came to the mountain of God. I've come to believe that is just how life is, you have to go through the wilderness to get to the mountain.
3] He discovered something amazing, for Him it was a burning bush. For me it's this experiment our church is doing called 60/60, where every waking hour I spend a little time with God for 60 days.
4] God noticed Moses was looking at the bush. God notices that I've been coming around more often than normal.
5] God called to Moses and said, don't come any closer, take off your sandals, you are standing on holy ground. I haven't gotten that close yet.
6] Moses hid his face, afraid to look at God, I've been praying, Jesus, show me you as you really are! Now I'm wondering how much of Jesus can I really bear to see. If I keep praying the same prayer, what if He were to reveal Himself in His glory like at Mount of Transfiguration - I'd turn like Moses, afraid to look at God.

APPLICATION
1] I need to think about what I'm praying perhaps a little bit more than I do. I'm asking Jesus to show up, what if He does, am I ready?
While I've been through the wilderness and I believe that 60/60 is taking be to "the mountain of God."
Yeah, I'm ready to see Jesus, and I hope I am afraid!

PRAYER
Father,
There are times when I wrongfully think of you as Santa Claus and Jesus as buddy.
Forgive me, for you are God - you are beyond my comprehension and Jesus is so much more than friend. He is Savior, He is Lord.
As I spend time with You, you are showing up - to be honest, I think you've been there all along - I just hadn't noticed.
And at this point, knowing that over the next 58 days I'm going to be drawn closer and closer to you. I'm afraid that perhaps I'm just not humbling myself in front of you enough.
Thanks for your patience with me as I draw near.