Changes in Latitude, Changes in Attitude

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 desert and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. There the angel of the LORD appeared to him in flames of fire from within a bush. Moses saw that though the bush was on fire it did not burn up. So Moses thought, "I will go over and see this strange sight—why the bush does not burn up.”

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."

"Do not come any closer," God said. "Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.”—Exodus 3:1-5

Then the LORD said to him, "What is that in your hand?"

"A staff," he replied.

The LORD said, "Throw it on the ground." Moses threw it on the ground and it became a snake, and he ran from it.

Then the LORD said to him, "Reach out your hand and take it by the tail." So Moses reached out and took hold of the snake and it turned back into a staff in his hand.

"This," said the LORD, "is so that they may believe that the LORD, the God of their fathers—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob—has appeared to you."—Exodus 4:2-5

What has God used in your life to cause you to realize that there is more going on than you might think? For Moses, it was a burning bush and a snake-transforming staff. For Job, it was tragedy. For David, it was Samuel’s anointing and a giant that needed killed. For Mary, it was an angel’s announcement.

God uses whatever He needs to use in order to get our attention, to lift our heads from the ordinariness of our daily routines and give us a glimpse of the sacred and supernatural realm where He lives. Are you paying attention?

Where do your daily routines take you? Into crowded, busy places, filled with noise and activity, deadlines and crowds? Or into quiet, solitary places with no one around and unending stretches of sameness?

What difference would it make to your life if you began to look for God as you go about your daily routine? For Moses, the place where his daily life took him became infused with the presence and power of God—

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."

"Do not come any closer," God said. "Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground."—Exodus 3:4, 5

Old Testament prophets urge people to seek the Lord today—

Seek the LORD while he may be found;

call on him while he is near.—Isaiah 55:6

You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.—Jeremiah 29:13

Paul tells us that God has crafted the circumstances of our lives, whatever they may be, to cause us to seek Him—

From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live. God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us.—Acts 17:26, 27

What difference does encountering God make in your attitude? How is He changing you, transforming you into the image of Jesus? How are you seeing your circumstances differently because you realize He is present?

Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.—Romans 12:2

And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.—2 Corinthians 3:18

What difference would it make in other’s lives if you began to look for God in your daily routine with a new urgency? What new opportunities for loving God and loving people would you discover?

As Jesus looked at the world and people around Him, He saw potential—

As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. "Come, follow me," Jesus said, "and I will make you fishers of men."—Matthew 4:18, 19

He saw needs that only He could meet—

Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, "The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field."—Matthew 9:35-38

"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."—Matthew 11:28-30

As he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it and said, "If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace…—Luke 19:41, 42

Everything that Jesus saw motivated Him to action and steeled His determination to do whatever it took to bring the life-changing message of reconciliation with God to those He saw.

Moses’ encounter with God radically transformed his life. God infused the tool of his trade with supernatural power to unleash the life-changing power of God in the world around him. He used Moses’ life to bring freedom to those in slavery.

What about you? Are you willing to stop? To turn aside from your daily activities and see what God is up to? Are you seeing the world through different eyes? Is your attitude being changed? Are you inviting God to transform you so that you can become a tool of transformation in His hands? Who around you is being changed because of your interaction with God? What’s different in your life today because you are in touch with God? Whose lives are different today because you touched their world with the love of Christ?

It all starts with catching a glimpse of God and going over to take a look to see what He is up to!

To view the worship celebration related to this Next Step, visit http://www.touchandchange.com/artman/publish/article_1584.shtml