EXPERIENCING GOD!
Exodus 3:1–6
INTRODUCTION
If we’re honest, most of our lives move pretty fast. We live at full speed — calendars packed, inboxes full, to-do lists longer than the day. For some of you, it’s work that keeps you running. For others, it’s parenting, caring for family, or juggling multiple responsibilities. Some of you are balancing finances, health challenges, or major transitions.
And even though your schedule may be full, you might admit your soul feels empty. You wake up tired and go to bed wired — constantly connected, but rarely still.
But here’s the amazing thing: God knows how to find us — even there. He knows how to interrupt the busyness of our days to draw our hearts back to His presence. And if you’ll slow down long enough to listen, you’ll discover that God still speaks.
If you have your Bible, turn with me to the book of Exodus, chapter 3. As you find your place, I want to begin with this:
Faith really begins where our map tends to end. In fact, that’s where God does His best work — in the places that feel uncertain, unfamiliar, or uncomfortable.
The Bible says in Hebrews 11:6,
“Without faith, it’s impossible to please God.”
That means faith isn’t optional — it’s essential. It’s required for the journey.
Faith is trusting that God is good, that He knows the way forward, and that He will not abandon you along the road.
Now, I think all of us wish faith worked more like GPS. Wouldn’t it be nice if we could just type in our plans, press “Go,” and let God give us the quickest, safest route — preferably one with no traffic, no detours, and no waiting? But that’s not how faith works. In fact, Proverbs 16:9 (NLT) tells us:
“We can make our plans, but the Lord determines our steps.”
In other words, we can set the direction, but only God knows the destination. He’s not just the God who blesses our plans — He’s the God who builds them, redirects them, and sometimes completely rearranges them for our good. Your greatest moments in life — and in faith — probably won’t unfold the way you imagined. But it’s often in those unplanned, uncharted places that God shows up most powerfully.
He’s right there with you in the uncertainty. When the road ahead doesn’t match the map in your hand, you can still trust the One who holds the compass. So today, I want to talk about what it means to live by faith, to trust God when the path He leads us down seems to go off the map and into those uncharted areas of life. Because, in those moments we have the joy of truly EXPERIENCING GOD.
That’s exactly what happened to Moses.
So, if you’ve found Exodus 3, follow along as I read. Beginning in verse 3, it says:
1 Now Moses was tending the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian, and he led the flock to the far side of the wilderness, and came to Horeb, the mountain of God.
This is an important mountain in the Bible, a lot of things happened on this mountain — mainly people meeting with God. It will later be called Mt. Sinai, but at this time and in this story, this mountain is referred to as Mt. Horeb. Well, continuing in verse 2, we’re told:
2 There 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. 3 So Moses thought, “I will go over and see this strange sight—why the bush does not burn up.” 4 When 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.” 6 Then 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.
Here’s the first thing that I want to point out. If we want to experience God, we must:
1. LOOK FOR GOD IN THE ORDINARY
Moses wasn’t in a revival meeting; he was at work. Not at the temple; in the wilderness. Forty years had passed since the palace—four decades of obscurity, routine, and responsibility. He’s tending sheep—same hills, same paths, same dust—and God shows up in the middle of it.
God’s timing: The text does not say Moses was fasting or seeking a vision. It says he was tending the flock. God often initiates in the ordinary rhythms—on the jobsite, in the kitchen, during a commute, in a waiting room.
God’s signal: A bush burning without being consumed. Not fireworks for entertainment, but a sign to capture attention. Moses says, “I will go over and see this strange sight.” That one choice—to turn aside—became the hinge of his destiny.
Parents—God may deepen your faith through bedtime prayers with a child.
Professionals—He may meet you in a difficult meeting with calm or courage that only He can provide.
Caregivers—He may reveal Himself through strength you didn’t know you had.
Students—He may speak in a quiet act of obedience before the noise of your day begins.
We live steeped in distraction—alerts, lists, and noise. While our minds are crowded, our souls can be empty. We don’t lack content; we lack encounter. God often places “burning bushes” along our path: a Scripture that suddenly reads us, a lyric in worship that pierces, a conversation full of conviction, or even a crisis that slows us down—and God whispers, “Turn aside.”
The difference between seeing the fire and hearing the voice is your willingness to turn aside. Moses went over to look; then God called his name. Small choices—to pause, to notice, to lean in—can open the door to life-altering revelation.
So, try this: Be intentional about taking time to “turn-aside” and pause in your day. Maybe, place your phone face-down, open your Bible, position your heart and mind to be attentive to God. And ask Him, “Lord, where are You already at work around me today?”
As Henry Blackaby said, “Find where God is working and join Him.”
When we turn aside, God does more than show us something unusual. He makes it personal. Which leads to another part of this story — If we want to experience God, we must:
2. GIVE GOD YOUR ATTENTION
When Moses turned aside to see the burning bush, God didn’t just show him something miraculous — He called his name. That’s important, because God isn’t just after your time; He’s after your heart. Verse 4 says:
“When the Lord saw that he had gone over to look, God called to him from within the bush, ‘Moses! Moses!’”
Notice that — when Moses turned aside, God called him by name. Not, “Hey, shepherd.” Not, “Hey, failure.” Not even, “Hey, murderer.”
God didn’t identify Moses by what he’d done, or by where he’d been. He called him by who he was. Because that’s who God is. He knows you by name. And He’s more concerned with who you are becoming than with what you’ve been through. That moment was a picture of pure grace. God didn’t shout from a distance or wait for Moses to clean up his life before He spoke. Instead, He came close—and He called to him personally.
God still works that way. When He wants to get your attention, He doesn’t compete with the noise of the world; He simply draws near. He whispers. Think about it: if you’re in a loud room and someone has something important to tell you, they don’t yell—they step closer and lower their voice. That’s what God does.
He draws close. He bends down. He whispers your name. And do you know why? Because whispers require closeness.
To be clear, their are many in the world which would believe that God is real, but distant.
But this view isn’t biblical or true! Because God is real, He is concerned, and He does draw close.
Deism is the belief that God created the universe but remains distant and uninvolved in its affairs, allowing it to operate according to natural laws. Thinkers like Thomas Jefferson, Voltaire, and Thomas Paine embraced this view, seeing God as a rational Creator rather than a personal, intervening Savior—one who designed the world but does not direct its daily events.
In this story, we see that He calls to Moses, but doesn’t shout from a distance, because that’s not His nature. He’s not shouting over the chaos trying to get your attention; He’s quietly inviting you to come closer. He’s asking not just for your time or attention, but for your affection—because He loves you, He made you, and He wants you to know Him.
So why is it that so many of us struggle to hear His voice? Maybe it’s because our lives have become so loud, so hurried, and so full, that we’ve lost the ability to appreciate the quiet moments where He speaks.
I think there are some very real barriers that keep us from hearing God’s voice—barriers we may need to eliminate if we want to experience His presence.
Let me name a few of them:
- Busyness — when you’re constantly doing, but never still long enough to listen.
You can be surrounded by good things and still miss the God thing. - Hurry — when your schedule runs faster than your soul.
You move so quickly that your heart can’t catch up—and neither can your attention to God. - Noise — when silence feels uncomfortable, but it’s often in the silence that God speaks most clearly.
He doesn’t compete with the volume of our world; He waits for our stillness. - Fear — that inner thought that says, “What if God actually speaks… and asks me to change?”
But here’s the beauty of grace: When God calls your name, He does it right where you are—in the middle of your ordinary moments, your current situation, your messy reality.
He’s not waiting for you to get it all right or to become a better version of yourself before He speaks. He doesn’t demand that you fix your habits or your history. He just calls you to Himself — as you are.
The real question is: when He calls, will you respond? Will you turn aside, will you step up and step closer to hear His voice? You might wonder what that looks like—what it means to “step closer.” It’s not complicated, but it does require intentionality.
- Create space for Him.
Turn off your phone. Quiet the noise. Step away from distractions. Find a quiet place—even for a few minutes—with your Bible and a cup of coffee, and say, “Lord, speak. I’m listening.” - Have sacred conversations.
Talk with a trusted friend about what God is doing in their life and in yours. Ask questions like, “What has God been showing you lately?” Those conversations open your heart to what He’s saying. - Slow down and linger.
God doesn’t reveal Himself in a rush. He’s not a microwave; He’s more like a slow-cooker. He shows up in the waiting. Sometimes the delay is part of the revelation. - Open your heart to God in prayer.
Sometimes stepping closer just means whispering a simple prayer: “Here I am, Lord. Speak—I’m listening.”
That’s where encounters with God begin—not with your perfection, but with your availability.
Even now, right where you are, maybe under your breath you’d be willing to whisper, “Lord, I want to experience You. Speak to me. Here I am.” When Moses stepped closer, he heard his name. And that moment changed everything. God would eventually give Moses a divine mission, but before He sent him out, He gave him His presence.
Because before God sends you out — He first calls you in.
3. RECOGNIZE THE HOLINESS OF HIS PRESENCE
Notice what God says to Moses in verse 5. He says:
“Do not come any closer… Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.”
Those words mark a turning point in Moses’s life. God wasn’t trying to keep Moses at a distance — He was inviting him to approach Him in a right manner — one of humility and faith.
presence turned the ordinary into something sacred. The moment God showed up, the desert became a sanctuary.
Holy Ground Isn’t About a Place — It’s About God’s Presence
When God shows up, the ordinary becomes sacred! That’s what happened to Moses — and it’s what happens to us. Any place can become holy ground — a dorm room, a classroom, a cabin, a coffee shop, or your car.
Whenever you pause and welcome God’s presence in your life — that place becomes HOLY.
When I was 21, I had an experience like this. I was living in Pittsburgh, PA at the time. And I had a retreat that I went to in Daytona, FL. It was during a difficult time in my life, I was struggling with direction and purpose. I recalling in a backroom of a condo — just off the beach.
Other’s were interested in the water and the waves, but I was not in the mood to play. I was struggling. And in that back room, I knelt down and kicked my shoes off. I leaned over a hard plastic chair and just wept before the Lord. And in that moment, I sensed His presence draw near. As I prayed — He comforted me. He reminded me of some things I needed to hear. He showed up and that place, that space became HOLY. I sensed God’s presence — and I responded by just staying there, pausing, and giving Him my attention.
Holiness always starts with awareness, but it always leads to humility. Which leads us to the odd part of this verse, the part about SANDALS. Notice God tells him to take off his sandals. His shoes really. But, why Sandals?
For Moses’s sandals were his thing. For me, it’s my tennis shoes.
Humility and holiness are connected — but it wasn’t about the place, nor was it about Moses’s perfection. It was about God’s presence and Moses’s posture.
When God told Moses to take off his sandals, it was a symbol of humility and surrender. In that culture, removing your shoes was a sign of respect, a way of saying, “I recognize I’m in the presence of someone greater.”
By taking off his sandals, Moses was declaring, “I’m not in a hurry. I’m not in charge. I’m Yours.”
When we enter God’s presence, He isn’t impressed by our status, our success, or our ability to look spiritual. What matters most to Him is the posture of our hearts. The posture of surrender. For Moses, this was demonstrated by him taking off his sandals. For us, this is probably going to be more of spiritual act of surrender than a physical act.
It might mean that God would ask you to lay down a matter of:
- Pride — that voice that says, “I’ve got this under control.”
- Compromise — the sin we’ve justified instead of repented of.
- Distraction — the noise and clutter that dulls our devotion.
- Bitterness — the grudge we carry that poisons our spirit.
Whatever keeps your heart from full surrender, whatever tracks the “dust of the world” into the presence of God — that’s what He’s asking you to remove.
Holiness isn’t God pushing us away; it’s God inviting us nearer — but on His terms. He loves us too much to let us stay casual about His presence. He invites us to approach boldly, but also humbly. Sometimes, we treat God’s presence too casually — as if we’re doing Him a favor by showing up. But when we really encounter His holiness, it humbles us. It silences us. It reorders our hearts.
That’s what was happening in Moses’ life. Before God ever gave Moses a mission, He gave him Himself.
God introduces Himself in verse 6:
“I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.”
What was God saying? “Moses, I’m not a stranger. I’m the same faithful God who has been writing this story long before you ever showed up. The same God who called Abraham, who provided for Isaac, who wrestled with Jacob — I am that God. And now I’m calling you.”
That moment wasn’t about a task. It was about relationship. Before God called Moses to do something, He called Moses to know Someone. God was then (and still is now), more interested in knowing you and you knowing Him than He is your assignment or calling in life. And that’s because, every call (to action), will always flow out of relationship. Our calling will always flow from our knowledge and experience of knowing God.
Again, it was true then, and it’s true now (for you and me). Before God sends us out to serve, lead, or build — He first calls us close, to worship, listen, and surrender our lives to Him.
Fast-forward to the New Testament, and we see this same holy invitation fulfilled in Jesus Christ.
John 1:14 says, “The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us.”
In other words, God stepped into our dust. He didn’t wait for us to climb up to Him; He came down to us. He entered our wilderness, wrapped Himself in our humanity, and declared, “This is holy ground now. Every encounter we have with God is possible because Christ has come near — full of grace and truth.
Through Jesus, the holy God draws close to unholy people and makes us holy through His presence. That’s why when you’re saved, the Holy Spirit comes to dwell within you — your very life becomes holy ground.
So now, every day, every place, every moment carries divine potential — because the same God who spoke from the burning bush now speaks through His indwelling Spirit.
God still interrupts the ordinary. He still calls us by name. And He still invites us to stand on holy ground. So, the real question isn’t, “Will God speak?” But rather, “Am I willing to pause and turn aside — turn to Him, when He does?” Will we slow down enough to notice His presence? Will we humble ourselves enough to take off our “sandals” — to surrender our pride, our sin, our distractions, and draw near? Because holiness isn’t found in what we do for God. It’s found in what happens when we allow God to do something holy in us.
That’s when our deserts become sanctuaries, our routines become moments of revelation, and our ordinary ground becomes holy ground — because He is there.
CONCLUSION:
The story of the burning bush is one of great importance…and mostly because it shows us the picture of God stooping down, coming close and inviting Moses to himself This doesn’t just happen for Moses. It happened again in the New Testament when Jesus (God incarnate) came near us. John 1:14 (NIV)
“The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.”
This is the clearest declaration that God Himself came near — literally “tabernacled” among us.
And it happens in our lives every time we invite God to meet us where we are. Although God may not set a bush on fire for you tonight — I know He’s here! And I know He’s calling to you…inviting you to turn to Him.
ALTAR CALL:
Salvation Prayer
I want to pray with you, with each of you — but the most important prayer you could pray tonight is the prayer of salvation.
And now, just one more thing: If you’ve listened to the message, and you sense God stirring your heart to trust in Him. To seek Him. To know Him, would you respond by praying with me today? Maybe you’d say something like this:
HeavenlyFather, I admit that I am a sinner and I’ve chosen my way over yours too often. But all that changes today. Because, I believe in Your Son, Jesus. I believe that He came from Heaven to earth to pay for my sin. I believe He died on the cross, shed His blood, was put in a grave — and rose again. So, today — I put my faith in Jesus. Forgive me of my sin. Save me and give me new life in you forever. I pray this in Jesus name, Amen.
If you prayed today and made a decision to follow Jesus — let your pastor know? We are so proud of you.This is the greatest decision you’ll ever make.
Responsive Prayer
Now for the rest of us. I believe God is calling out to you tonight. I believe this could be a a divine moment for you. The question is:
- Are you willing to give Him your attention?
- Are you willing to take a step closer?
- Are you willing to lay down those things in your life that represent another path, or another pursuit — and choose to follow God’s plan and purpose for your life?
- Are you willing to take a step of faith and trust Him (the God of the universe), who wants to be the God of your life?
If you’d say yes to these questions — would you stand to your feet, right where you are?
All over this place, just take a stand before God. Would you say,“God, I want to experience you!”
If so, like Moses, I’m going to ask you to take a step towards God. Take a step from where you are and join me here around the front. And as you do, let’s pray together:
“Heavenly Father, we thank You that You still show up in the wilderness. Thank You that You interrupt our ordinary with Your extraordinary presence. Open our eyes to notice You. Draw us closer to hear Your voice. Teach us to bow before Your holiness. And give us courage to trust Your presence. Thank you for your love for us, and your interest in us. May we experience You and have a burning-bush type of encounter with You. In Jesus’ name, amen.”