The fire of God’s word draws us to his heart.

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And the angel of the LORD appeared to him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush. He looked, and behold, the bush was burning, yet it was not consumed. And Moses said, “I will turn aside to see this great sight, why the bush is not burned.”
Exodus 3:2 English Standard Version

I don’t know all the technical stuff that goes into filling a hot air balloon with, well, hot air, but I have been up close and personal as the crew readies a balloon for flight. They begin by laying out the balloon on the ground, then fill it with air with an industrial sized fan, a fan that will blow you over if you’re too close. Once the balloon has a sufficient amount of air, the pilot begins filling it with the hot stuff.

It’s this sight and the sound of the flames that captures the attention of the crowd sipping their morning java.

Every time the pilot injected propane into the burners there was this amazing burst of fire that took on a new and different shape each time.

Moses experienced the fire of God in a way that none of us have. How is it that a bush in the middle of the desert could erupt with spectacular flames and yet not be consumed? How is it that this intense fire hasn’t leaped to other plants?

Moses must leave his sheep and focus on this spectacle, like the shoulder riding girl caught up in the flames of the hot air balloon.

In Psalm 29, King David declared that the voice of the Lord “flashes forth flames of fire.” (Psalm 29:7). Though we might not see a burning bush filled with the presence of the Lord’s angel, his voice burst into our lives. His word causes us to turn aside. His word informs us of our true identity, and his grace towards us. His word is a flame of fire that draws us to his heart.

Picture and Text Copyright Douglas P Brauner