At its best, the church is where we encounter the living Christ and feel His touch and hear His voice in intimate encounter with God, just as Moses did in the burning bush on the mountain's side.

Reading: Exodus 3:1-15

Moses was keeping the flock of his father-in-law Jethro, the priest of Midian; he led his flock beyond the wilderness, and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. There the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire out of a bush; he looked, and the bush was blazing, yet it was not consumed. Then Moses said, “I must turn aside and look at this great sight, and see why the bush is not burned up.” When the Lord saw that he had turned aside to see, God called to him out of the bush, “Moses, Moses!” And he said, “Here I am.” Then he said, “Come no closer! Remove the sandals from your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.” He said further, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God.

Then the Lord said, “I have observed the misery of my people who are in Egypt; I have heard their cry on account of their taskmasters. Indeed, I know their sufferings, and I have come down to deliver them from the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land to a good and broad land, a land flowing with milk and honey, to the country of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites. The cry of the Israelites has now come to me; I have also seen how the Egyptians oppress them. So come, I will send you to Pharaoh to bring my people, the Israelites, out of Egypt.”

But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh, and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?” He said, “I will be with you; and this shall be the sign for you that it is I who sent you: when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall worship God on this mountain.” But Moses said to God, “If I come to the Israelites and say to them, ‘The God of your ancestors has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ what shall I say to them?” God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM.” He said further, “Thus you shall say to the Israelites, ‘I AM has sent me to you.’“ God also said to Moses, “Thus you shall say to the Israelites, ‘The Lord, the God of your ancestors, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you’:

This is my name forever,

and this my title for all generations.

 

Prayers

We pray for  those who suffer, for those who live in poverty, who have no opportunity to better their lives, for those who are persecuted  -- that we  may hear their cries and respond.

For the leaders of the nations that they may lead their people with integrity into service and with great intention into peace.

For ourselves, that we be given the strength to leave behind the fruits of temptation, turning our gaze upon that which is nourishing and sound, living a life of love, honor, and respect for others, full of rejoicing and thanksgiving

For those who seek healing of body, mind or spirit that we may be vehicles of grace and that your will for health and restoration may be fulfilled.

For those who have died surrounded by family and friends, and for those who were unloved and unmourned, that all may have a place in God’s kingdom

For all peoples of the earth and powers of the world who do not yet recognize Jesus as the Christ, that they may know you as Lord.

Living God, you are among us in your Son and in his church.  Hear the prayers we place before you.  Increase our faith that we may see you at work in the world around us, increase our heart that we might serve others in your name.  We ask this in the name of Jesus, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever.

Amen.

 

Music

Go Down, Moses

Lou