Moses and the Burning Bush

Moses and the Burning Bush

A reading in three parts; Yahweh, Moses and an Interpreter. Yahweh reads the standard type while Moses reads the​​ bold​​ type and the Interpreter reads the​​ red​​ type.  ​​​​ All readers are in the chancel. ​​ Yahweh is stage left, Moses is center stage and slightly upstage. ​​ The interpreter is stage right and faces Yahweh.

And Yahweh was moving among the heavens.  ​​​​ The cries of the people of God had been heard over​​ generations and Yahweh was determined that they should​​ be set​​ free. ​​ The Lord ached at the thought of the suffering. ​​​​ Who would lead the People of God out of captivity? ​​ Who had the strength and the experience to do it?  ​​​​ Yahweh was determined to answer the prayers of the people.

   (Interpreter turns to face audience)

Yahweh could hear the prayers​​ 

but​​ was​​ without the means.

Without the person

God​​ would not,​​ 

could not,

act without the​​ human energy

committed along with the​​ 

vision​​ of the Almighty.

(Interpreter turns back to face Yahweh)

And Moses was out guarding and watching the sheep. ​​​​ It was hot and dry;​​ the earth was scorched. ​​ ​​ Moses was​​ living out yet another life having been born to a courageous and determined mother; set adrift among the reeds,​​ rescued​​ by the​​ Pharaoh’s daughter​​ and​​ in turn​​ raised by his own mother. ​​ Brought to riches and privilege; placed in​​ an​​ unearned position. ​​ Having known of his own people and seen their slavery and having felt the pain of his kin and friends, he pleaded​​ for their fair treatment and for that he lost his privilege and his life was threatened. ​​ After killing an Egyptian man, he​​ fled to the desert where he had shown mercy to​​ some​​ shepherd girls​​ who were being mistreated by other shepherds.  ​​​​ He​​ formed a family with one; a gift from her father to Moses.  ​​​​ Moses was complicated.

Whoa, ​​ What is that? ​​​​ That bush​​ is on fire​​ but is not being​​ burned up! ​​ A bunch of flame​​ but no fuel? ​​ Something is​​ weird​​ here. ​​ What’s going on? ​​​​ Am I just too hot?  ​​​​ Dehydrated? ​​ Hung over? ​​ What am I seeing?

  (Interpreter turns to face audience)

A quick moment in time

A surprise; unexpected

Is it dangerous?

Should he extinguish the flame?

Should he gather the sheep and flee?

Should he go slow,

be very careful?

Confusion; too many unknowns.

(Interpreter turns back)

Yahweh called​​ to Moses and Moses was surprised and even more confused. ​​ Shocked. ​​ It was a​​ bewildering​​ sight​​ and it now included voices.​​ “​​ Moses,”​​ ​​ Yahweh called.  ​​​​ “​​ Moses, son of Amran and​​ Jochebed,​​ stop!  ​​​​ Stop​​ and hear the​​ Word of the​​ Lord.”

Am I hearing things? ​​​​ Maybe I’m dreaming. ​​ If this is Yahweh, it is a strange way to appear; in a burning bush that​​ does​​ not burn up. ​​ I don’t know what to do. ​​​​ Truthfully, I am scared and I don’t want to look silly talking and listening to a burning bush.

The voice in the bush warned Moses to come no closer and to remove his sandals. ​​ Yahweh​​ announced to Moses​​ that he had been summoned to holy ground; not an everyday occurrence, even for Moses. ​​ He was​​ confused​​ but he removed his sandals and waited for what would happen next. ​​ He​​ was more than a little worried.

 OK,​​ 

 I am here.

 I am listening.

(Interpreter turns to face audience)

A declarative statement,

Not a question.​​ 

A change; a shift

I am here.

I am listening.

A pause​​ to​​ 

stop and​​ consider.

I am here.

I am​​ listening.

Now​​ Yahweh​​ can proceed.

(Interpreter turns back)

God​​ had a plan and it included Moses going to the people of Israel and bringing them out of bondage. ​​ It was a big plan and one​​ that​​ would​​ affect many people and many generations. “Moses, listen. ​​ You are going to be part of rescuing the people of God. ​​ You will lead them and they will follow you out of bondage.”

No! ​​ Are you kidding​​ me? ​​ I was born an Israelite but raised as an Egyptian. ​​ Now the Pharaoh wants to kill me and the Hebrews don’t trust me much either! ​​ And​​ you surely know that I killed that Egyptian man! ​​ There’s more! ​​ This will not work. This is not a good plan. ​​ I need to stay here where I’m safe and my family is safe. ​​ I can’t do it.

  (Interpreter turns to face audience)

Stay safe. ​​ Do not step out of what you know.

Have an excuse ready at all times​​ 

For why you cannot respond​​ 

The call​​ seeks​​ a response​​ but

Moses does not want to take the risk anymore

He’s done enough already

Let someone else do it.

It’s too much. ​​​​ It’s gone too far.

(Interpreter turns back)

Moses, Moses. ​​ Do you see that burning bush? ​​ Well,​​ do you?

Yes.

Well, it is not being​​ burned up.​​ 

 I can see that.​​ 

​​ I, the Lord God, Creator and Sustainer of all there is have the power to change​​ a living thing without destroying it. ​​ My spirit​​ brings​​ a new​​ reality. ​​ I will​​ supply​​ the power and you will​​ carry it. ​​ I see all and I know all of your history. ​​ I choose you but you must​​ choose to accept this vision.

(Interpreter turns toward audience)

The burning bush was like​​ unto​​ a fire

in a ceramic kiln.

wherein the flames are separate

from the fire itself and are

only a sign that the burning

is hardening the clay and making it

strong​​ and useful and beautiful.

Built from​​ frail​​ dust and​​ now

having been formed​​ with the

touch of hands​​ it is

becoming a vessel.

 (turn back towards Moses)

A vessel for liberation.

Then I will go.

I will go​​ 

with you by my side.

I will take up this cause and be what you​​ 

need me to be​​ 

all the while

doubting and fearful;

failed but forgiven;

weak but sustained

imperfect but​​ willing.

Yahweh rejoiced for the people of God would be made free.