Tuesday, February 18, 2020

Face to Face

3 So Moses thought, “I will go over and see this strange sight—why the bush does not burn up.” 4 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.” 5 “Do not come any closer,” God said. “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.” (Exodus 3:3-5)
            Is there room for improvement in your walk with Jesus? I don't think I have ever met anyone with an ounce of honesty who doesn't see the opportunity for improvement in their spiritual journey. We wake up each morning with a ton of blessings whether we realize it or not. In Lamentations 3:22-23, Jeremiah said, “Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” Being spiritually responsible with all that we are and all that we possess in a huge challenge. Improvement in our walk with Jesus and our spiritual responsibility is not a simply a decision we make. It has to be a lifestyle that we actually live out. So how do we begin to take steps in the correct direction?
            Clear footprints in the right direction can be seen with what God called Moses to do on the mountain in Exodus 3. We are a people who get far too busy. The everyday demands of our lives have a tendency to completely fill our thoughts and our time if we are not careful. We forget to look in God’s direction. Moses was going about his everyday routine when God attracted his attention. Moses saw something that day that changed his life. 
            The first step to improving our journey with Jesus is to be willing to step aside from our everyday normal routine and take time to encounter the supernatural. When we turn our eyes in God’s direction, it does not take a burning bush to change our lives forever. When we stop to listen to God and we look around and see what He is doing in the world, it ignites our very souls. It sets us aflame to burn brighter and brighter.
            It would seem like common sense to say that shoes are required for a more responsible walk with Jesus, but what is really needed are bare feet—feet that acknowledge the holy nature of an encounter with our Lord and Savior. The more we recognize the grace-filled privilege we have to encounter the God of all creation, the more we will turn aside from our ordinary, normal routine and come face to face with the extraordinary that is Jesus. He is the One who changes everything. I sincerely hope you have a face-to-face encounter with Him this week. I hope that His face shines upon and His smile fills you with joy. May God richly bless you as you are being a blessing to others this week!!