Advent 2020 Reflections – Day One

by Chris Hancock · Published December 1, 2020 · Updated December 1, 2020

Exodus 3 verses 3 – 8

²There 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. ³So Moses thought, “I will go over and see this strange sight—why the bush does not burn up.”
⁴When 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.”
⁵“Do not come any closer,” God said. “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.” ⁶Then he said, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob.” At this, Moses hid his face, because he was afraid to look at God.
⁷The Lord said, “I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned about their suffering. ⁸So I have come down to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land into a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey (NIV)

Reflection

Sculpture of Burning Bush – Westerkirk, Amsterdam (see copyrights section for details)

The Bible is full of encounters with God. In our passage today we see one of these occasions – Moses encountering God in the burning bush. In that encounter God promises to rescue his people. Indeed God does not promise in the way that we do, so often our promises are more of a hope that we will be able to do what we say we are going to do, God makes clear his intention to save his people.

As we travel through this time of Advent we will see the prophecies of the coming of our Saviour, Jesus and the reflections of the early Church and Gospel writers on that event. We will reflect on what these passages, showing God’s interaction with his people, mean to us today.

Today we think of all of those times when we ourselves have been in dark or desert places and suddenly, unexpectedly, a light has sprung into life around us. Times when our eyes have been opened to the presence of God by the words or actions of those around us. Times when we have been inspired by a word from scripture, the written words of others, an image or a vision within God’s creation .

Stillness

We spend a few moments in stillness as we remember those encounters with God.

Carol

Each day in addition to the Bible verses I will also be using an Advent or Christmas carol which speaks to the biblical verses.

I am grateful to the Hatfield Road music group for being willing to record these carols with me.

I take as my carol today “Like a candle flame”, which is number 176 in Singing the Faith. If you have the hymn book available and would like to follow it. Unfortunately due to copyright restrictions I can not add the words here.

This carol speaks to me of God’s presence in the world as a flame in a bush, in the wonder of creation, in the support and love we receive from our families, friends and neighbours, as the light shining in a baby’s eyes. God is with us Alleluia!

Please click on the play triangle to listen to the carol.

If you would like to, please read the passage again before we pray together.

Prayer

Loving God we thank you for this time of Advent, a time of reflection and preparation. We pray that as we travel towards the celebration of Jesus’ coming, we may once again be filled with eager anticipation of meeting once again with you.

We praise you that you are part of each of our lives, especially for those times when we are most aware of your nearness to us. Help us to recognise your presence with us more often and enable us to listen to your words to us.

Words that come in the still quiet word that whispers in our hearts in response to events in our lives as well as in the spectacular moments when we encounter our own burning bushes.

Ever present God we pray that you will help us to be touching places, bringing your word to those around us in all we do and say. May we too be like a candle flame, bringing light to the world around us. Amen.

Copyrights

Image of the burning bush, candle with a heart flame and candle cradled in hands from Pixabay.com free for commercial use no attribution.

Image of the Burning bush sculpture by Andre https://www.flickr.com/photos/andrevanbortel/5040224924 Creative Commons – Attribution Share alike licence
This magnificent bronze work represents the burning bush from Exodus 3:2. Each branch of the sculpted piece holds a liturgical candle lamp, so that, when lit, appears blazing but unburnt. The Burning Bush piece is in the Westerkerk in central Amsterdam.

Hatfield Road Methodist Church CCLI: 4495 Streaming: 989812

Reflection and Prayer: Chris Hancock