WEBVTT 00:00:00.160 --> 00:00:02.319 Welcome to the Awakening Church podcast. 00:00:02.560 --> 00:00:07.040 We pray this message encourages you and provides the hope and light of Jesus Christ. 00:00:07.200 --> 00:00:08.560 Thanks for tuning in. 00:00:19.120 --> 00:00:21.280 For those of you who don't know me, my name is Ashley. 00:00:21.359 --> 00:00:22.960 I'm one of the pastors here. 00:00:23.120 --> 00:00:27.440 And the series that we are in is called Encounters with God. 00:00:27.760 --> 00:00:38.719 And this is the exact reason why I'm a pastor and why I've spent almost 13 years dedicating my life to building up and serving the church. 00:00:38.880 --> 00:00:45.439 For this one reason, to create spaces where people can experience the presence of God. 00:00:45.759 --> 00:00:51.679 So I'm absolutely thrilled to be bringing this message in this series to you this morning. 00:00:52.000 --> 00:01:02.000 Today we're going to be looking at how we can have an encounter with an extraordinary God in our regular, ordinary, day-to-day lives. 00:01:02.240 --> 00:01:08.159 And as I begin, I want to give you a little snapshot of a day that I recently had in my life. 00:01:08.400 --> 00:01:12.239 I'm a mom of two kids and I work full-time. 00:01:12.480 --> 00:01:15.359 So my days are pretty filled to the brim. 00:01:15.680 --> 00:01:17.519 Here's a day that I recently had. 00:01:17.680 --> 00:01:27.519 I was woken up in the six o'clock hour, today it was the five o'clock hour, by this very cute little boy who is ready to play. 00:01:27.840 --> 00:01:39.760 He begins by climbing on me and asking me to watch a show and asking me to play a game and asking for a snack, and all of these questions come before I have even opened my eyes. 00:01:40.000 --> 00:01:45.760 Eventually I get up, I convince myself to get out of bed, and I tend to his needs. 00:01:46.000 --> 00:01:57.599 Then I balance getting ready for the day while keeping focus on him while he's eating, because he's only four, and also waking up my daughter for her to get ready for her day. 00:01:57.760 --> 00:02:01.840 Now I manage both kids while I'm getting ready and they're getting ready. 00:02:02.000 --> 00:02:08.560 And let's be honest, I'm also arguing with my daughter about why she needs to brush her teeth yet again today. 00:02:09.280 --> 00:02:19.520 I make pancakes for breakfast while simultaneously cleaning the kitchen, and I pass off my kids to my husband, who's getting home from his early morning opening shift at Starbucks. 00:02:20.000 --> 00:02:22.560 That's when I head to work and start my day. 00:02:22.719 --> 00:02:38.159 So I get to my office, I check my email, I make my to-do list, I have some meetings, I check my email again, I try to get as many things checked off that to-do list as I can before I need to rush off to pick up my kids from home to take them to swim lessons in the afternoon. 00:02:38.479 --> 00:02:47.680 So as I'm walking to my car, I text my husband and make sure that they're gonna be fed and they're gonna be in their bathing suits and they're gonna be ready to get in the car when I get home. 00:02:47.840 --> 00:03:00.879 So I get home, they jump in the car, we go to swim lessons, and as they're swimming for 25 minutes, I sit on the pool deck and I look through my phone, I look through my calendar, I catch up with my husband, I plan the rest of my week out. 00:03:01.280 --> 00:03:14.240 Then we head home for dinner, and this is where I sit there attempting to eat while I'm also having three conversations with the three people who live in my house about all their different days, all at the same time. 00:03:14.639 --> 00:03:17.599 Now, after this, my brain is fried. 00:03:17.759 --> 00:03:33.759 I don't really want to talk to anybody else at this point, but we still need to get our kids to bed and clean up dinner, which means more arguing with my daughter about why she needs to take all the plates to the sink, including her brothers, because that's not fair. 00:03:34.080 --> 00:03:40.879 Once the kids are finally in their jammies and have their teeth brushed, we snuggle on the couch to read a book. 00:03:41.199 --> 00:03:49.680 And then I have to convince them to actually go to bed, as if this isn't the same thing that we do every single night. 00:03:49.919 --> 00:04:01.120 Now, once everybody is finally settled for the evening, I have exactly zero energy to do anything more than sit on the couch with my husband and watch one of the shows that we have on rotation. 00:04:01.360 --> 00:04:07.039 But I'm too tired at this point to even make a decision about which one we should watch, right? 00:04:07.520 --> 00:04:14.080 And that's a regular day without any other people added, like having friends over for dinner or having our small group. 00:04:14.240 --> 00:04:26.800 I also didn't mention anything like errands or paying bills or dentist appointments or folding laundry or scrolling through my phone or keeping that Duolingo owl happy, right? 00:04:27.040 --> 00:04:31.759 Now your day might may look similar to mine if you're also a working parent. 00:04:31.920 --> 00:04:36.959 I saw a couple smiles from some of you, but more than likely it doesn't. 00:04:37.199 --> 00:04:41.600 However, your days are likely just as full as mine are. 00:04:41.839 --> 00:04:46.160 Yours might be filled with hours of commuting to and from work. 00:04:46.399 --> 00:04:50.160 You might work 10 or 12 hour days in tech or in healthcare. 00:04:50.319 --> 00:04:58.160 You might be a student and every spare moment of your day is filled with studying or reading or some sort of athletic team. 00:04:58.399 --> 00:05:03.199 You might be struggling with your physical or mental health and it's hard to even get out of bed. 00:05:03.519 --> 00:05:07.600 You might be balancing multiple jobs to make ends meet. 00:05:07.839 --> 00:05:15.360 Regardless of the specific circumstances of each of our days, many of us have the same struggle. 00:05:15.680 --> 00:05:24.480 My life is so busy that I don't have time to add another thing, even when that thing is God. 00:05:25.199 --> 00:05:27.680 Now we have great intentions, don't we? 00:05:27.839 --> 00:05:38.160 We say, I'll wake up early, I'll wake up before the sun gets up, I'll spend my entire lunch hour reading the Bible and praying, I'll read the whole Bible this year. 00:05:38.399 --> 00:05:44.639 We make these grand declarations of how we're going to make God a priority in our lives. 00:05:44.959 --> 00:05:46.319 But then what happens? 00:05:46.560 --> 00:05:54.399 We stay up a little later than we intended because that last episode ended in a cliffhanger, and I really needed to watch just one more. 00:05:55.199 --> 00:06:01.199 But then when our alarm goes off early the next morning, it feels unbearable to get up out of bed. 00:06:01.279 --> 00:06:03.920 And so we say, okay, tomorrow instead. 00:06:41.759 --> 00:06:53.199 And as we've been crafting this series and I've been studying for this sermon, I've been so fired up to bring to you this message this morning because God wants to meet with you. 00:06:54.399 --> 00:06:59.839 And what's amazing is that He is accessible to us. 00:07:00.480 --> 00:07:07.600 We have this book that's filled with stories of people who got to personally encounter God. 00:07:07.920 --> 00:07:18.480 Now, these encounters were miraculous and they were amazing, and we're able to learn from them how God may want to meet with us also today. 00:07:18.800 --> 00:07:26.480 So this morning, we're going to hear one story about Moses, who God used to deliver Israel from slavery in Egypt. 00:07:26.720 --> 00:07:31.519 This comes from the very beginning of Moses' story that we get to read in Exodus. 00:07:31.680 --> 00:07:41.920 And to give you a little bit of background before we jump into our key passage for the day, the Israelites are enslaved in Egypt where they're being worked ruthlessly. 00:07:42.160 --> 00:07:46.959 The midwives were commanded to kill any baby Hebrew boy that was born. 00:07:47.120 --> 00:07:59.680 And when Pharaoh caught wind of two midwives who were secretly rescuing these babies, he commanded all the people to throw any baby boy that they found into the Nile River. 00:08:00.639 --> 00:08:09.839 During this time, there was a young mom who decided to hide her baby as long as she could so that she could spare his life. 00:08:10.079 --> 00:08:15.600 When she couldn't hide him any longer, she placed him in this basket and sent him down the river. 00:08:15.839 --> 00:08:26.480 The daughter of Pharaoh found the baby and had compassion on this little Hebrew boy and kept him as her own, and she named him Moses. 00:08:27.360 --> 00:08:33.200 Moses was trained and taught as an Egyptian, but he still knew that he was Hebrew. 00:08:33.440 --> 00:08:42.480 One day after he had grown up, he saw an Egyptian man beating up a Hebrew man, and he killed the Egyptian man and hid him in the sand. 00:08:42.799 --> 00:08:48.240 Once he realized that word was spreading about what he had done, he fled to a town called Midian. 00:08:48.399 --> 00:08:56.320 At a well, he rescued the daughters of a priest who were tending their flocks from a group of shepherds who were trying to harm them. 00:08:56.480 --> 00:09:03.840 Now the priest was pleased with this and gave Moses a home, and he gave him one of his daughters to marry. 00:09:04.159 --> 00:09:09.759 Moses had a child with her and became a shepherd for his new family's flock. 00:09:10.000 --> 00:09:17.360 During this time, the Israelites continued to be enslaved and continued crying out to God for help. 00:09:17.600 --> 00:09:20.399 That was a quick recap of Exodus 1 and 2. 00:09:20.480 --> 00:09:22.159 And Exodus 2 ends like this. 00:09:22.399 --> 00:09:30.320 It says, God heard their groaning and he remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob. 00:09:30.559 --> 00:09:34.799 So God looked on the Israelites and was concerned about them. 00:09:35.360 --> 00:09:40.080 Now the primary human character in the book of Exodus is Moses. 00:09:40.639 --> 00:10:01.679 But the real story is the redemptive work of God in delivering Israel from slavery in Egypt, which was both for them in their lives here on earth and a foreshadowing of the redemptive work that Jesus would do to rescue humanity and bring us back to God's kingdom. 00:10:01.919 --> 00:10:06.399 So let's turn to the scripture and we're gonna pick up our place in this narrative in Exodus 3. 00:10:06.480 --> 00:10:10.240 You can open your Bible with me or read it on the screen. 00:10:14.799 --> 00:10:26.480 It says, 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. 00:10:26.879 --> 00:10:32.639 There the angel of the Lord appeared to him in flames of fire from within a bush. 00:10:32.879 --> 00:10:37.679 Moses saw that though the bush was on fire, it did not burn up. 00:10:38.080 --> 00:10:42.480 So Moses thought, I will go over and see this strange sight. 00:10:42.639 --> 00:10:44.720 Why the bush does not burn up? 00:10:44.960 --> 00:10:50.879 When the Lord saw that he had gone over to look, God called to him from within the bush, Moses, Moses. 00:10:51.360 --> 00:10:53.600 And Moses said, Here I am. 00:10:53.919 --> 00:11:01.519 Do not come any closer, God said, Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground. 00:11:01.919 --> 00:11:08.480 Then he said, I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. 00:11:08.720 --> 00:11:13.440 At this Moses hid his face because he was afraid to look at God. 00:11:14.000 --> 00:11:18.399 The Lord said, I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt. 00:11:18.559 --> 00:11:24.960 I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned about their suffering. 00:11:25.440 --> 00:11:37.679 So I have come down to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land into a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey. 00:11:37.919 --> 00:11:43.759 The home of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Parizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites. 00:11:43.919 --> 00:11:50.399 And now the cry of the Israelites have reached me, and I have seen the way the Egyptians are oppressing them. 00:11:50.559 --> 00:11:51.360 So now go. 00:11:51.519 --> 00:11:57.840 I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people, the Israelites, out of Egypt. 00:11:58.320 --> 00:12:03.759 But Moses said to God, Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt? 00:12:04.240 --> 00:12:10.559 And God said, I will be with you, and this will be the sign to you that it is I who have sent you. 00:12:10.720 --> 00:12:16.080 When you brought the people out of Egypt, you will worship God on this mountain. 00:12:16.399 --> 00:12:22.559 Moses said to God, Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, The God of your fathers has sent me to you. 00:12:22.720 --> 00:12:24.639 And they asked me, What is his name? 00:12:24.799 --> 00:12:26.480 Then what shall I tell them? 00:12:26.879 --> 00:12:32.720 Moses said to God, God said to Moses, I am who I am. 00:12:33.519 --> 00:12:36.480 This is what you are to say to the Israelites. 00:12:36.799 --> 00:12:39.120 I am has sent me to you. 00:12:39.519 --> 00:12:50.320 God also said to Moses, Say to the Israelites, the Lord, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob has sent me to you. 00:12:50.799 --> 00:12:56.720 This is my name forever, the name you shall call me from generation to generation. 00:12:57.200 --> 00:13:00.080 Church, this is the word of the Lord. 00:13:01.200 --> 00:13:06.559 Many of us are familiar with this moment where Moses encountered God. 00:13:06.879 --> 00:13:10.559 It's amazing and miraculous and unheard of. 00:13:10.720 --> 00:13:13.519 And you might be thinking, where are we going with this? 00:13:13.840 --> 00:13:19.120 Because we don't typically get such a clear spectacle from God in this way. 00:13:19.360 --> 00:13:27.840 Now we're gonna go through this story again, but a little bit slower to see how God might be inviting us to encounter him in a similar way. 00:13:28.159 --> 00:13:32.799 So, first one, now Moses was tending the flock. 00:13:33.120 --> 00:13:37.519 Moses was going about his regular day, his regular life. 00:13:37.759 --> 00:13:47.600 He wasn't doing anything special, he wasn't setting aside time to pray or to seek God, he was tending the flock, which was his job as a shepherd. 00:13:47.919 --> 00:13:53.200 Moses had been here as a shepherd for 40 years at this point. 00:13:53.440 --> 00:13:59.840 40 years of living in Midian and tending the flock day after day after day. 00:14:00.000 --> 00:14:02.960 This was a regular day in Moses' life. 00:14:03.200 --> 00:14:07.279 He wasn't expecting what he was going to encounter that day. 00:14:07.519 --> 00:14:14.159 Verses two and three, Moses saw that though the bush was on fire, it did not burn up. 00:14:14.480 --> 00:14:20.080 So Moses thought, I will go over and see this strange sight, why the bush doesn't burn up. 00:14:20.320 --> 00:14:25.679 Now, in this wilderness that he's in, it wasn't uncommon for bushes to burn up. 00:14:25.919 --> 00:14:31.279 Sometimes these types of bushes would literally spontaneously catch fire. 00:14:31.519 --> 00:14:35.519 This was a common occurrence for the people who lived in this part of the world. 00:14:35.759 --> 00:14:39.840 However, there was something different that Moses noticed. 00:14:40.080 --> 00:14:44.960 The terrain was dry, so usually these bushes that caught fire would burn up quick. 00:14:45.440 --> 00:14:48.399 We're familiar with this here in California, right? 00:14:48.559 --> 00:14:50.879 We see those beautiful golden hills. 00:14:51.120 --> 00:14:55.840 And if a spark hits them, it spreads extremely fast. 00:14:56.720 --> 00:14:59.440 That's what these shepherds were used to see. 00:14:59.840 --> 00:15:03.840 A bush would catch fire and it would burn up instantly. 00:15:04.080 --> 00:15:06.080 But this was something different. 00:15:06.320 --> 00:15:09.840 This bush was on fire and it wasn't burning up. 00:15:10.159 --> 00:15:12.240 This was the strange part. 00:15:12.799 --> 00:15:20.879 Moses takes notice of something different and strange in what he thought would be a regular day for him. 00:15:21.200 --> 00:15:23.440 So back to the top of verse 2. 00:15:23.759 --> 00:15:30.240 There the angel of the Lord appeared to him in flames of fire from within a bush. 00:15:30.720 --> 00:15:33.120 God was already there. 00:15:33.759 --> 00:15:38.960 When Moses could see, what Moses could see was that the bush was on fire. 00:15:39.200 --> 00:15:49.600 He saw something taking place in the physical world that drew his attention, but there was more to it than that, which was that God had shown up in that bush. 00:15:50.320 --> 00:15:56.879 Verse 4, when the Lord saw that he had gone over to look, God called to him from within the bush. 00:15:57.120 --> 00:16:03.360 When Moses turned in God's direction, that's when God called his name. 00:16:03.600 --> 00:16:09.120 Moses had to notice and he had to turn his attention to God's presence. 00:16:09.519 --> 00:16:11.279 God was already there. 00:16:11.519 --> 00:16:14.720 Moses wasn't summoning him down from the heavens. 00:16:14.960 --> 00:16:17.120 God showed up right there. 00:16:17.279 --> 00:16:22.799 And when Moses turned his attention to notice God, that's when God spoke. 00:16:30.159 --> 00:16:37.840 Verse 5, God said, Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground. 00:16:38.799 --> 00:16:45.120 Because God was in this place, it was different and it was set apart. 00:16:45.600 --> 00:16:46.720 It was holy. 00:16:47.519 --> 00:16:51.360 This removal of sandals was significant in the Israelite culture. 00:16:51.519 --> 00:16:54.559 This removal of sandals signified three things. 00:16:54.799 --> 00:16:57.200 First of all, it was a sign of humility. 00:16:57.519 --> 00:17:02.559 They would remove their sandals to show that they were being humble to whoever's presence they were in. 00:17:03.200 --> 00:17:18.319 Second, it was a common tradition for priests as they entered their place of worship to remove their sandals, to not bring in any dirt or what signified imperfection into the holy place of worship. 00:17:18.640 --> 00:17:27.920 And lastly, it was an intentional act of taking away their personal comfort for the honor of the other. 00:17:28.799 --> 00:17:34.160 Now let's contrast this a little bit with our American brand of following God. 00:17:34.480 --> 00:17:38.400 American Christianity tends to be very personal and casual. 00:17:38.720 --> 00:17:45.839 We often lack reverence for the holiness of God in an effort to not be too legalistic or bound by rules. 00:17:46.160 --> 00:17:51.759 As Americans in general, we tend to not be a particularly humble nation. 00:17:52.400 --> 00:18:00.160 And we're definitely, definitely unwilling to sacrifice any personal comfort for any reason. 00:18:00.480 --> 00:18:06.240 Now this bleeds in right into how we enter the presence of God. 00:18:06.559 --> 00:18:10.559 Let's take how we engage with church as an example. 00:18:10.880 --> 00:18:20.319 Now, if we decide to come at all, we choose to stroll into church halfway through maybe the second song with our coffee in our hand. 00:18:20.720 --> 00:18:27.279 We sigh a deep sigh when we're asked to stand up again to say hi to somebody next to us. 00:18:27.519 --> 00:18:34.160 We barely sing along during worship, much less respond to the Lord by raising our hands or clapping. 00:18:34.400 --> 00:18:42.640 We maybe think about joining a serving team, but only if that leader doesn't ask for too big of a commitment from us. 00:18:43.359 --> 00:18:53.680 And then we leave our church to find a new one, to find somewhere to be more well-fed, or somewhere where we really feel the presence of God. 00:18:54.640 --> 00:18:59.359 Now when we interact with church this way, we're missing something. 00:18:59.680 --> 00:19:01.279 And we know it. 00:19:01.680 --> 00:19:05.359 That's why we're going somewhere new to find God's presence. 00:19:05.920 --> 00:19:16.400 But how often do we miss out on encountering God for the sake of our personal comfort or wanting to keep things casual? 00:19:17.680 --> 00:19:26.240 How often are we missing out on encountering God in this space, God's presence for the sake of our personal comfort? 00:19:26.480 --> 00:19:30.640 What if instead we treated this space like it was holy ground? 00:19:31.039 --> 00:19:33.920 We see God show up first. 00:19:34.880 --> 00:19:40.640 God's presence was already there, right in Moses' regular life. 00:19:41.519 --> 00:19:46.079 God reveals himself to Moses and calls himself in verse 14. 00:19:46.160 --> 00:19:48.559 He says, I am who I am. 00:19:48.720 --> 00:19:53.200 When God showed up in a flame, he was giving revelation of who he was. 00:19:53.519 --> 00:20:01.440 Often in Exodus, God shows up accompanied by fire as he's delivering and guiding and purifying his people. 00:20:01.519 --> 00:20:06.480 And now he's telling Moses his name, which shows his character. 00:20:06.799 --> 00:20:12.960 This I am can also be thought of as he who is present. 00:20:13.599 --> 00:20:18.880 God was stepping onto the scene to be present with Moses. 00:20:19.519 --> 00:20:21.519 We want God's presence, right? 00:20:21.680 --> 00:20:22.960 We seek God's presence. 00:20:23.039 --> 00:20:24.799 We say we want God's presence. 00:20:24.880 --> 00:20:32.000 We go to church to find God's presence, but sometimes we miss that he is the one who is present. 00:20:32.640 --> 00:20:34.880 He is already present with us. 00:20:35.119 --> 00:20:39.200 We're seeking his presence, but we're missing that he is the one who is present. 00:20:39.359 --> 00:20:42.960 We don't need to look for him because he's already here. 00:20:44.960 --> 00:20:52.880 Moses responded to God's call, and he got to have this personal encounter with the Lord, the one who is present. 00:20:53.200 --> 00:21:01.519 We also get to see that Moses not only encountered God, but also received his calling from God. 00:21:02.000 --> 00:21:06.079 He would be the deliverer of God's people out of Egypt. 00:21:06.319 --> 00:21:11.119 Now many of us in this room are constantly asking what our calling is. 00:21:11.279 --> 00:21:17.759 We're convinced that it's tied to our vocation, but we find that that doesn't bring the fulfillment that we're looking for. 00:21:17.920 --> 00:21:22.240 We try to find it in marriage or in having kids or in getting more education. 00:21:22.799 --> 00:21:24.000 Moses was married. 00:21:24.160 --> 00:21:26.240 He had at least one child at this point. 00:21:26.480 --> 00:21:28.319 He had a career as a shepherd. 00:21:28.480 --> 00:21:33.680 He had the best education that he could, being the son of the Pharaoh's daughter. 00:21:34.240 --> 00:21:37.839 But these things weren't where his calling was found. 00:21:38.079 --> 00:21:44.880 His calling was given in this encounter with God to deliver God's people out of Egypt. 00:21:45.680 --> 00:21:51.920 But really, his calling was to be a picture of Jesus. 00:21:53.039 --> 00:21:58.000 He would deliver the Israelites as Jesus would deliver the world. 00:21:58.640 --> 00:22:02.000 If you jump way ahead in Story and see what happens at Passover. 00:22:02.240 --> 00:22:10.720 The people spread lamb's blood across their door frames so that the angel of death would literally pass over their homes. 00:22:11.440 --> 00:22:21.519 This delivered them from slavery in this beautiful picture of how the blood of the Lamb, the blood of Jesus, would eventually be shed to deliver us from death. 00:22:21.839 --> 00:22:25.759 Moses' calling was to be a reflection of Jesus for the world. 00:22:26.000 --> 00:22:31.119 His calling wasn't the task, though the task was incredibly important. 00:22:31.599 --> 00:22:35.920 It wasn't his career because this calling had nothing to do with his vocation. 00:22:36.160 --> 00:22:39.839 It wasn't his family, though they were along for the ride with him. 00:22:40.079 --> 00:22:45.359 It wasn't his education, though God used every bit of education that he had. 00:22:45.759 --> 00:22:49.920 It was to show the world what Jesus looked like. 00:22:50.559 --> 00:23:00.480 Jesus says in Matthew 6.33, but seek first his kingdom, God's kingdom, and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 00:23:00.880 --> 00:23:09.680 When we seek God above all else, he gives us himself, he gives us his presence, and then he gives us even more. 00:23:09.839 --> 00:23:16.720 He gives us our calling to reflect Jesus in the way that he has ordained for each of us. 00:23:17.440 --> 00:23:21.920 Now you might be thinking, God hasn't shown up to me in any burning bushes. 00:23:22.000 --> 00:23:24.160 And here in California, I would like him to not. 00:23:24.400 --> 00:23:24.960 Thanks. 00:23:25.200 --> 00:23:26.960 So how do I encounter him? 00:23:27.759 --> 00:23:30.400 This is the miraculous part for us. 00:23:31.200 --> 00:23:35.200 For Moses, the miraculous part was that the bush didn't burn up. 00:23:36.000 --> 00:23:38.400 And here's what it is for us now. 00:23:39.519 --> 00:23:45.599 We don't have to wait for God to reveal himself because he has already shown up. 00:23:45.839 --> 00:23:48.000 He is already present. 00:23:48.880 --> 00:23:56.319 This moment of God's presence showing up in that bush opened the door for more of his presence through the ages. 00:23:56.720 --> 00:24:05.839 Later in this story of Moses delivering the Israelites, God had them set up a sanctuary or a tabernacle for his presence to travel with them. 00:24:06.000 --> 00:24:13.599 Exodus 25.8 said, Then have them make a sanctuary for me, and I will dwell among them. 00:24:14.160 --> 00:24:17.920 We see this word dwell again in the opening of the Gospel of John. 00:24:18.079 --> 00:24:25.680 Jesus, called the Word in this passage, came to earth to dwell or tabernacle among the people. 00:24:25.839 --> 00:24:31.839 John 1.14, the word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. 00:24:32.319 --> 00:24:38.720 God came even closer, he left that sanctuary to now be in physical contact with people. 00:24:39.279 --> 00:24:48.720 Then later, when Jesus died, Scripture says this, Matthew 27, at that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. 00:24:48.880 --> 00:24:58.640 This curtain was hung in the Jewish temple to separate the sinful people from the presence of the holy God, from this holy ground. 00:24:59.039 --> 00:25:08.160 And when Jesus delivered us from death by his blood, that curtain was torn, opening up God's presence to all the people. 00:25:09.440 --> 00:25:18.880 And then when Jesus was leaving earth to ascend to his heavenly throne, he sent the Spirit to reside in all people who follow him. 00:25:19.279 --> 00:25:27.200 Once you believe in Jesus and accept his forgiveness, you have the Spirit of God dwelling or tabernacling in you. 00:25:27.920 --> 00:25:42.720 Romans 8, 11, and if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his spirit who lives in you. 00:25:43.920 --> 00:25:50.079 This means that everywhere we are is where God's presence is. 00:25:50.640 --> 00:25:58.799 If we have the Holy Spirit dwelling within us everywhere we go, the place where we are standing is holy ground. 00:25:59.599 --> 00:26:02.079 Everywhere you are is set apart. 00:26:02.240 --> 00:26:05.680 It's special, it's holy in God's presence. 00:26:06.240 --> 00:26:08.240 God dwells within you. 00:26:08.640 --> 00:26:14.000 So the one who is present is with you always. 00:26:14.319 --> 00:26:18.720 The place where you are standing is holy ground. 00:26:19.279 --> 00:26:29.920 So I want to take you back to that day in my life that I laid out at the beginning, the one that felt hurried and stressful and nonstop with no space to encounter God. 00:26:30.079 --> 00:26:37.279 We're gonna take a look back to see what it can look like to encounter God in our regular, ordinary lives. 00:26:37.599 --> 00:26:42.480 So we're gonna start from the beginning again, waking up with this little boy jumping on me. 00:26:42.720 --> 00:26:44.880 I pray scripture over myself. 00:26:45.039 --> 00:26:47.119 This is the day the Lord has made. 00:26:47.279 --> 00:26:50.720 Let us rejoice and be glad in it. 00:26:51.119 --> 00:26:54.960 As I flip those pancakes, I have worship music on. 00:26:55.039 --> 00:26:59.839 And I'm toggling between giving direction to my kids and singing praise to God. 00:27:00.240 --> 00:27:08.880 Sitting in my office, feeling the heaviness of my day, how much there is to do, but asking God to help me carry it. 00:27:09.359 --> 00:27:15.200 That's something Carolyn said last week, that we can carry our lives together with God. 00:27:16.079 --> 00:27:28.400 At work, I can know and rest in the truth that I am beloved even when my to-do list isn't done, even when my inbox isn't at zero, I am beloved to God. 00:27:29.279 --> 00:27:40.480 At swim lessons, I can feel that sun on my skin, and I can take some deep breaths of fresh outside air and notice the God of creation all around me. 00:27:41.200 --> 00:27:44.720 Arguing with my daughter, you didn't think I was gonna go here. 00:27:46.000 --> 00:27:58.720 When you have two spicy, strong girls going head to head, the only thing that I have been able to do is to ask Jesus for help. 00:27:59.039 --> 00:28:08.079 I pause, I close my eyes, literally mid-argument, and out loud pray, Jesus, I need your help. 00:28:08.720 --> 00:28:11.599 Jesus, help me, have patience. 00:28:12.160 --> 00:28:15.359 I recenter myself in Jesus. 00:28:15.599 --> 00:28:18.319 My kids thought this was so weird at first. 00:28:18.480 --> 00:28:20.319 They said, Mama, what are you doing? 00:28:20.480 --> 00:28:24.240 And I said, Hold on, I need Jesus. 00:28:24.880 --> 00:28:30.240 But now it's so common that they also pause. 00:28:30.400 --> 00:28:34.240 She also pauses in all of her spicy strongness. 00:28:34.640 --> 00:28:48.480 She waits for me to pray because she knows that when mama stops to pray, the spirit is gonna show up with the fruit of love and patience and self-control, and the rest of this conversation is gonna look different. 00:28:50.400 --> 00:28:53.279 I can't conjure up those reactions on my own. 00:28:53.519 --> 00:28:56.079 But the Spirit of God can do it in me. 00:28:56.240 --> 00:28:57.119 And He does. 00:28:57.359 --> 00:28:58.640 He shows up. 00:29:00.000 --> 00:29:14.079 Reading bedtime stories, when I'm secretly hoping that they're gonna pick the shortest book, but instead they pick the longest book, I can sit and I enjoy these darling gifts from the Lord. 00:29:20.160 --> 00:29:31.599 And I can silently thank him for these snuggles and for this love that they bring me, because I am confident that every bit of love that I get from them comes directly from him. 00:29:33.279 --> 00:29:37.200 Those are a few ways that I encounter God in a regular day. 00:29:37.359 --> 00:29:39.680 But here's a bonus, because I brought up church earlier. 00:29:39.839 --> 00:29:40.960 So we're going back. 00:29:41.200 --> 00:29:52.640 When I attend a church service, when I'm in this space, especially in worship, the posture of my heart is that the place where I am standing is holy ground. 00:29:52.880 --> 00:29:59.519 I may not love the song, I might feel uncomfortable, but here's the thing: worship isn't about us. 00:30:00.400 --> 00:30:01.920 Worship isn't about us. 00:30:02.079 --> 00:30:10.160 The purpose of worship is to focus our attention on the Lord and to sing to him as scripture commands us to do. 00:30:10.960 --> 00:30:15.359 And what we see from Moses and the bush is that God is already here. 00:30:15.680 --> 00:30:21.680 And when we turn our attention toward him, we will encounter him. 00:30:22.400 --> 00:30:31.359 We can metaphorically remove our sandals to set aside our own comfort to give the Lord the honor that he deserves. 00:30:32.400 --> 00:30:34.559 So here's a simple recap for us. 00:30:34.720 --> 00:30:38.319 First, God showed up where Moses already was. 00:30:38.799 --> 00:30:42.720 Moses was in his regular life when he encountered God. 00:30:43.200 --> 00:30:47.279 Second, you can ask, where has God placed me? 00:30:47.920 --> 00:30:52.319 In this season, he has placed me as a mom of two little kids. 00:30:52.480 --> 00:30:55.359 He's placed me as a pastor in the Silicon Valley. 00:30:55.599 --> 00:30:58.480 He's placed me in my marriage and in my friendships. 00:30:58.720 --> 00:31:01.759 He has placed me as a volunteer at my kids' school. 00:31:02.000 --> 00:31:04.319 He's placed me in my small group. 00:31:04.960 --> 00:31:08.400 Those places are holy ground. 00:31:08.880 --> 00:31:16.240 Everywhere that I am, the place I am standing is holy ground because I have the spirit dwelling within me. 00:31:16.480 --> 00:31:19.839 I can encounter God anywhere that I am. 00:31:21.200 --> 00:31:26.880 Lastly, if you treat these places as holy, you will encounter God. 00:31:27.759 --> 00:31:34.720 If I notice God's presence, the one who is present, I'll encounter him. 00:31:36.079 --> 00:31:40.160 So here's a few ideas of how we can put these into practice. 00:31:40.400 --> 00:31:44.799 Now, at first, these are going to be uncomfortable, but that's okay. 00:31:45.440 --> 00:31:52.559 If you want to encounter God, you might have to take off your sandals and get a little uncomfortable. 00:31:52.960 --> 00:31:54.960 First, start by noticing. 00:31:55.200 --> 00:31:57.759 Just cast your gaze toward God. 00:31:58.480 --> 00:32:05.200 This might feel hard or strange, but it's a practice that you can build up that gets easier over time. 00:32:05.440 --> 00:32:08.640 Where do you see God working in your life? 00:32:09.359 --> 00:32:10.880 Second, worship. 00:32:11.119 --> 00:32:20.799 Both corporate in this space by singing and lifting your hands to respond to God in a community of people, and also in private throughout your day. 00:32:20.960 --> 00:32:29.119 When you focus the words of your mouth on Him, your mind and your heart will follow. 00:32:29.440 --> 00:32:30.720 Music is powerful. 00:32:30.960 --> 00:32:32.240 Words are powerful. 00:32:32.400 --> 00:32:38.559 Our minds and our hearts will follow what we have coming into our mind and what we have coming out of our mouth. 00:32:39.279 --> 00:32:41.119 This leads us into scripture. 00:32:41.279 --> 00:32:45.440 Write out scripture on sticky notes, put them around your house or your office. 00:32:45.680 --> 00:32:50.079 I often put mine on my bathroom mirror and on the calendar in my kitchen. 00:32:50.319 --> 00:32:57.440 When you're taking scripture into your mind, it will draw your attention to see God. 00:32:58.960 --> 00:33:00.079 Breath prayers. 00:33:00.240 --> 00:33:02.240 This one you might be less familiar with. 00:33:02.480 --> 00:33:07.200 It's simply this: it's a prayer that is synced with your breath. 00:33:07.599 --> 00:33:15.359 These prayers are a simple and tangible way to pray all throughout your day and bring your attention back to God. 00:33:15.519 --> 00:33:17.759 It goes like this: you breathe in. 00:33:18.880 --> 00:33:20.799 God, you are with me. 00:33:22.480 --> 00:33:24.559 Help me to encounter you. 00:33:25.039 --> 00:33:26.640 It's as simple as that. 00:33:26.960 --> 00:33:30.160 Two little phrases bringing you back to your breath. 00:33:30.319 --> 00:33:34.079 You can make them up from scripture or from a worship song. 00:33:34.319 --> 00:33:37.839 And you just remember to pray that through your day. 00:33:38.160 --> 00:33:40.079 And lastly, gratitude. 00:33:40.319 --> 00:33:45.599 I know both religious and secular spaces talk so much about this, so I won't go too far into it. 00:33:45.680 --> 00:33:50.480 You're all aware of some of the benefits of gratitude, but I will say this. 00:33:51.759 --> 00:34:00.640 Every time I thank God for something, I am more aware of the one who is present in my life. 00:34:00.880 --> 00:34:02.400 Every single time. 00:34:02.960 --> 00:34:06.319 Every time I thank God for something, I'm more aware of Him. 00:34:06.720 --> 00:34:16.159 If I want to notice God, I can start by finding what I'm grateful for because every good thing comes from Him. 00:34:16.400 --> 00:34:25.760 These practices aren't about adding more to your full life, but about noticing God is already present within it. 00:34:26.880 --> 00:34:33.679 God sees you, He remembers you, and you are beloved to Him. 00:34:34.000 --> 00:34:38.800 He has brought Himself near so that you can encounter Him. 00:34:39.119 --> 00:34:45.440 Just like Moses, we can really encounter this extraordinary God in our ordinary lives. 00:34:46.320 --> 00:34:50.800 So as we close, I'm gonna end us with a promise from the Lord. 00:34:51.119 --> 00:34:57.920 God says to Moses at the end of this Exodus passage, he says, I will be with you. 00:34:58.559 --> 00:35:02.639 He didn't leave Moses alone in the calling he placed on him. 00:35:02.880 --> 00:35:08.159 Instead, he promised his presence as the one who is present. 00:35:08.800 --> 00:35:14.000 And Jesus echoes this to his disciples and to us centuries later. 00:35:14.320 --> 00:35:21.920 He says, And surely I am with you always to the very end of the age. 00:35:22.480 --> 00:35:25.360 God is present with us. 00:35:25.679 --> 00:35:29.679 The one who is present continues to be with us. 00:35:30.079 --> 00:35:35.840 And if we turn our attention toward Him, we will encounter God. 00:35:37.280 --> 00:35:38.639 Let's pray. 00:35:42.880 --> 00:35:48.000 God, thank you that your presence is available and accessible to us. 00:35:48.239 --> 00:35:50.719 Thank you that your presence is near. 00:35:51.199 --> 00:35:53.840 God, would you help us see you this morning? 00:35:54.079 --> 00:35:59.119 Would you help us turn our gaze toward you and notice that you are already in this place? 00:35:59.360 --> 00:36:02.159 Notice that you want to meet with us in this place. 00:36:04.639 --> 00:36:07.599 God, would you draw us toward your presence? 00:36:08.639 --> 00:36:09.280 Amen. 00:36:11.119 --> 00:36:13.360 We hope you are blessed by this message. 00:36:13.519 --> 00:36:17.920 Please subscribe to our podcast for access to every episode as they're uploaded. 00:36:18.079 --> 00:36:20.159 And hey, we'd love to connect with you. 00:36:20.400 --> 00:36:26.239 Take a next step by filling out our virtual connection card at awakeningchurch.comslash card.