Burning Bushes (Part 1)

Commitment is making a choice to let go of our other choices.

In any situation it might mean other things as well, but the impact of commitment is that it closes off our options. This is what makes commitment so hard. Especially in the choice-driven culture of today.

Whether you are struggling with pursuing a relationship, your education, a job choice, or any major decision, our tendency today is keep our options open as long as possibly. We don't want to commit, we don't want to give up our choices. As Christians we overlay this sense of deliberation with the Will of God.

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

Unfortunately, it is all too easy to use this passage as a crutch; allowing us to withhold our commitments; refrain from making choices. After all, we wouldn't want to make decisions without waiting to really know His Will, would we? And so we wait. We flip-flop and ruminate. All with the excuse that until, like Moses, we see a bright burning bush illuminating His good and perfect Will, we aren't jumping into anything.

The main issue I have with waiting for a burning bush comes back to another of message from Paul which concerned our walk (as many of his messages did, gotta luv it!).

We live by faith, not by sight.
-- II Corinthians 5:7

Aha! Herein is the crux. If we are walking by faith, we must be committed. I take this to mean that most of the time we won't be getting burning bushes to just light our way. If we were guaranteed to each get a burning bush, then where's the exercise of faith?

If we are walking by faith, we must feel our way along with a general sense of what He has called us to do, and filling in the gaps as we stumble along. By faith we choose, by faith we walk, by faith we make commitments which reduce our choices.

How then can we know in what direction to stumble? By prayer and meditation, studying His word, being in the world, and serving those around us. When we are only focused on watching for a burning bush, we take our eyes of His Word, we fail to listen for His Voice.

In my follow up, I'll take this a little further.