Are you a fan of the series Ghost Hunter? (How curious are you?)

I will never apply to be on the set of the TV series Ghost Hunter.  Though I am pretty sure that no one has died on the series, I wonder how many of the ordinary folks now appearing on the set loose sleep because of what they experience.  I have neither desire nor curiosity nor will to explore the world of the paranormal.  Let others do that.  Curiosity killed the cat, and that is enough for me.   

I have to think that for Moses, today’s encounter with the burning bush had to be the ancient equivalent of our modern ghost hunters going into houses at midnight armed with all their gear to find out what is or is not going on in haunted houses.  This sight of a bush burning had to have made his skin crawl and the goosebumps rise the closer he got to it.  Yet his curiosity kicked in.  I must go and see this thing.  I must investigate, even if it is supernatural, even if it is dangerous.   His curiosity serves him well a first time.  And when he hears the command to take off his shoes, because he stands on holy ground, his curiosity serves him a second time.  If I’d walk into a haunted house and hear a voice calling my name, I’d be GONE!  Moses hears a burning bush call his name, and somehow it doesn’t come as that big a surprise to him.  His curiosity keeps him in the dialogue.   

And then, Moses’ curiosity serves him well a third time.  “Who shall I say sent me?”  Prior to this point, Moses could have bailed and no one would have thought a thing about it.  It would have been simple enough to have ended things at this point, safely.  You could imagine the conversation he’d have with his wife when he comes home:  “How was your day, dear?”  “Nice.  Sheep were well behaved.  Saw a burning bush.  Heard voices.  God said he wanted to free my people.  But I didn’t want to be bothered, so I kept on taking care of the sheep.  Other than that, not much happened.”  Rather, Moses presses the encounter.  Who are you?  Who are you that you have walked, not only into my life, but into the life of my people to change our destiny?  Who are you to promise such a deliverance, such a freedom, the very thing that I have longed for as I thought of my people still enslaved in Egypt.  Who are you to call me back to a place where there is a price on my head and speak to pharaoh?  Who are you?  (that I may trust you, love you. give up a safe life and return to the place of my greatest fears.  Who shall I say sent me?   

God’s response – is simply a form of the word “To Be”  Tell them “I am” sent you.  Tell them that absolute being sent you.  It is not much to go on, but it seems to be enough for Moses.   

It was Moses’ curiosity and I daresay, his courage that allowed him to stay in that encounter, in that moment that would change everything for him.  But if the truth is told, don’t we all have our burning bush moments?  Moments when we realize we are in the presence of the Holy, the presence of the divine, and that God is calling us from our ‘comfortable lives’ to something that stretches us and changes us?   

   Maybe it is a simple as the freedom we are discovering exists in our world because we are not eating between meals or giving up chocolate.  We discover a greater sensitivity to those who are hungry all the time when those stomach pangs hit.  Perhaps you’ve given up those innocuous ‘time wasters’ – computer games, (facebook) freecell, etc.  And now you find that you have quite a bit of time on your hands.  And that, too, is very holy ground – with great opportunities for love and service to flow from that time. 

   Perhaps it is what is happening with our extra prayer time we’ve chosen for Lent.  I had a conversation with a woman the other day who was terrified of what was happening in her world.  It was slowing down.  The children were mostly grown and all but out of the house.  It was no longer mom the chauffer and short order cook, and the experiences of QUIET around the house were terrifying to her.  I don’t even want to enter the silence of prayer, because I am afraid of what I’ll finally be able to hear God saying to me that I have been running from in all my business for most of my adult life.  

Regardless of where you discover those burning bush moments, I invite you, like Moses, to let your curiosity be your ally in this walk of discipleship.  Do not fear to ask God to reveal himself to you ‘by name’ as it were, as did Moses.  Who are you, O God, that I may trust you, love you. and follow you with all my heart?  “Who shall I say sends me?”