the favour of Him who dwelt in the burning bush... Deuteronomy 33:16

I was struck by a verse out of Deuteronomy 33 as I did my devotional reading this morning.  verse 16 is part of the final blessing that Moses gives to each of the tribes of Israel before his death. It is part of a blessing for the tribes of Joseph... amongst all the God things that Moses blesses Joseph with is this one line which after talking of all the good things of the land refers to...'the favour of him who dwelt in the burning bush'. It is a reference back at the end of Moses life to the calling he received to go and get Israel out of slavery in Egypt( recorded in Exodus 3) . It would have been a precious memory  for Moses the beginning of the mission that had been his crowning work, through which God had forged Israel into his own people.

The Burning bush is also the logo of the Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa New Zealand the branch of the Church I belong to. Recently I have been contemplating the burning bush, if you look back over the images in my blog for the last few weeks you'll see photos of the stain glass art work of the burning bush that is right outside the door of my office. I've seen it as a symbol of hope and renewal for this congregation here and for our wider church. I've used it as the image for a poster for a Pentecost gather we are organizing...

In this brief line from my devotion this morning I am encouraged...  Just as Joseph was to be blessed with the favour of him who dwelt in the Burning bush may we also be blessed to know that favour. May the one who dwelt in the burning bush dwell in us the people of the burning bush... May we know the presence of the one who dwelt in the burning bush... the one who dwelt with us in the person of Jesus Christ... who dwells within us by the Presence of the Holy Spirit... rekindle the flame and the call to go and proclaim freedom to those in slavery to sin and death... 'Let my people go'...