SCEPTICS dismiss the story of Moses at the Burning Bush as an old wives tale. Here is this man in a wilderness looking after some sheep. He comes across an old bush that appears to be burning, and out of which God communicates with him. Nonsense they say. Is it?

Millions of people have had a similar experience to Moses and have discovered that God uses the physical stuff of the world as a channel to convey his glory and communicate with them. Indeed, it’s the essence of the Christian understanding of the incarnation (i.e. Jesus becoming human) and the sacraments.

It may be while we are out in the country that some specific view or object, such as a river, mountain or tree will convey something of God to us. It heightens our awareness of his presence. On the other hand, it may be while we are on holiday visiting some magnificent building or observing some wonderful object or picture that we are touched by God.

God can also use physical people to show something of himself to us. I can remember one or two occasions when I have been deeply touched by God simply by being in the presence of someone whose holiness oozed out of them.

We should always be open to the God of surprises. Keeps your eyes open. If you have eyes to see you will find something of God in the ordinary things he has made.

This week’s thought: God uses the ordinary to convey the extraordinary.