Pentecost 14 – The God Who Calls Us Forward

The God Who Calls Us Forward

A short reflection based on Exodus 3:1-15 and Matthew 16:21-28

Moses meets God in a bush that burns but isn’t consumed. It’s a powerful image of God’s presence: alive, enduring, and impossible to extinguish. The Israelites have suffered for generations, but God hasn’t forgotten them. God says, “I have seen… I have heard… I know.” This isn’t a distant God, but a God who notices pain and moves toward it.

Moses wants certainty. He wants a name, a clear answer, a guarantee. Instead, God gives him a promise: “I AM WHO I AM.” God can’t be controlled or neatly explained, but God can be trusted. God will be with Moses as he steps back into Egypt and confronts injustice.

In Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus also walks a difficult road. Peter wants a Messiah without suffering, but Jesus knows that love, justice, and transformation come with cost. Faith isn’t an escape from the world’s troubles. It’s a call to enter them with courage, compassion, and hope.

These readings remind us that God still calls ordinary people into extraordinary work. We are invited to notice the burning bushes around us: moments of wonder, need, and holy interruption. We are called to listen for the cries God hears and to follow Jesus on the hard road of love. The fire still burns. God’s love still burns. Hope still burns.

God notices suffering – and calls us to notice it too.

Following Jesus costs something – but it leads us toward deeper life.

Ngā mihi
Philip

p.s. Worship leaders: You can buy a complete Order of Service and Sermon based on these readings here:   https://philipgarsidebooks.com/products/worship-at-hand-pentecost-14-30-august-2026