How to Perfect The Art of Turning Aside

I'm currently training to run my first full marathon. You have my word that this is the only time I'll mention it because I don't want to be the guy who works his fitness regimen into every conversation. I've loved running for years so the process hasn't been too intense, but I've learned there is A LOT to think about when it comes to preparing to run 26.2 miles. I'm using a couple of different apps to coach me on how many miles I need to run each day in order to stay on track. What I'm struggling with most isn't the longer runs that I have to do twice a week, or the stretching that has to be done, or the shoes, socks, and accessories that have to be bought. No, as a type A, rule-following, perfectionist the most difficult thing for me is learning to listen to my body instead of listening to that app. It's learning that throughout the training there must be necessary pauses due to a sore knee, a tight back, or a swollen foot. Despite the amount of miles that app may be telling me to run each day, sometimes my body says otherwise.

Not running feels so antagonistic to my goal. What if I get behind? What if I start back in a few days and I'm much slower or more tired? What happens if I don't stay consistent? But then I realize the bigger question is, what if I injure myself and have to stop altogether?

So, more than stretching well, getting miles in, or keeping pace I'm learning the art of TURNING ASIDE.

THE WORD

Now Moses was pasturing the flock of his father-in-law Jethro, the priest of Midian; and he led the flock to the west side of the wilderness and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. Then the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a blazing fire from the midst of a bush; and he looked, and behold, the bush was burning with fire, yet the bush was not being consumed. So Moses said, “I must turn aside and see this marvelous sight, why the bush is not burning up!” When the Lord saw that he turned aside to look, God called to him from the midst of the bush and said, “Moses, Moses!” And he said, “Here I am.”

-Exodus 3:1-4 (NASB)

Everything we know about Moses, the ten plagues, the splitting of the red sea, the liberation of the Israelites from Egyptian slavery, is all because on that day he chose to turn aside from his routine and encounter God.

FAITHFULNESS PRECEDES FRUITFULNESS

I think it's important to point out that we find Moses at the beginning of Exodus 3 being responsible and faithful to his duty. He was"pasturing the flock of his father-in-law." This is worth talking about because I've found that people often refuse to do anything until they've heard from the Lord, yet it's possible the Lord refuses to speak until we can be found faithful with what's in front of us.

The Kingdom revolves around stewardship. What God entrusts to you, He calls you to steward well, no matter how small or mundane it may be. I talk to so many young people who desperately want the Lord to show them what they're supposed to do in life, where they're supposed to go, or who they're supposed to marry. The sad thing is, they often just sit and wait for God to reveal it. They don't work, they don't go to school, they don't go on dates simply because they're "waiting on God."

It reminds me of a story about the man stranded on an island who asked God to save him. Over time a boat, a plane, and a helicopter all came by and offered the man help but he refused, believing the Lord would save him instead. After dying and going to Heaven he asked the Lord, "Why didn't you rescue me?" He responded, "I sent you a boat, a plane, AND a helicopter!"

Don't get me wrong, I applaud any desire to do God's will, but God's will is often revealed through His WORD and our WORK. When God called Elisha, he was plowing a field. When He called David he was in a pasture watching sheep. When He called Peter, Andrew, James, and John they were all in their boats fishing. God rewards a faithful life. Before we can be fruitful we must be faithful.

I start here because the art of "turning aside" is only valuable if you have responsibilities to turn aside from. Moses was being faithful to his duties as a shepherd. After having grown up as Egyptian royalty this was not a glamorous life. He could've very easily felt like this was beneath him.

If you desire to hear from God, and especially if you're looking for next steps, I encourage you to get busy serving and working. It's in that environment God is likely to reveal yourself to you and His will to you.

BURNING ON, NOT BURNING OUT

Exodus tells us that a burning bush caught Moses' eye while he was in the wilderness. I've read that it was perhaps not uncommon for a bush and other plants to catch on fire in that kind of dry climate and arid conditions. Notice the Bible suggests that it wasn't so much the bush on fire that caught his eye but the fact that the bush was not burning out. In a middle-eastern desert it would take no time for a bush to be fully consumed and the fire to be gone. But it was apparent that something supernatural was taking place.

Awareness is a gift. More than that, it's a discipline. It's the enemy of selfishness and pride. The more absorbed we are in our wants, our goals, and our problems the less aware we are of what is happening around us. Much of Jesus' ministry centered around noticing the forgotten and neglected. A woman at a well in the heat of the day, a man with a crippled hand in the back of the synagogue, a donkey in the back-alley never-before ridden. The secret sauce of Jesus' ministry was awareness. He was also keenly aware of when the Father was calling Him away to Himself.

What if Moses had discounted this as just another brush fire? The word "notice" comes from the latin word for "known." What we fail to take note of, we fail to know. I was never a great note-taker in school but I became one in church. I came to realize I will only know God and His Word to the degree that I am willing to take notice. So when the Word is being preached or when it's open in my lap, I've made it a habit to have pen and paper present. What if we approached life that way? Not always ready to write but always ready to hear.

Romans 1 says God has made Himself known through His creation and Psalm 19 says that the Heavens (the skies and space) declare His glory. He reveals Himself through our surroundings, circumstances, and environment, but are we taking note? Moses noticed a supernatural occurrence in a natural setting. A bush had not just CAUGHT fire, but KEPT fire.

Anyone can start a fire, far fewer can feed one. We've all witnessed people who have moments or a season of great passion and hunger for the Lord, only to watch it fizzle out over time. Unfortunately that's commonplace. But in Exodus 3 it was the consistent burning that caused curiosity. The consistent demonstration of Christ's character. The consistent turning to the Word and prayer in our daily lives. The consistent forgiveness in the face of offense.This is what it looks like to BURN ON instead of BURN OUT.

PUTTING LIFE ON PAUSE

Moses walking away from his flock to encounter the Lord is beautifully juxtaposed to the image of Jesus leaving the 99 to encounter the one.

Notice it says "When the Lord saw that he turned aside to look, God called to him from the midst of the bush..." God did not speak until AFTER Moses chose to turn aside. The intentional turning away from our day, our responsibilities, our needs, our entertainment, and our LIVES is what makes us available to the intervention of God's voice.

Can't God just interrupt your day if He has something to say? Of course, but He'd rather YOU interrupt your day to hear it. There is an art to turning aside. Obviously we should build devotional practice into our routines and schedule. Set a time and place for daily communion with God. But turning aside goes deeper than that. Turning aside is the ability to notice the whisper of God asking you to take a walk outside for five minutes. It's the awareness of the person behind the counter who needs encouragement. It's the invitation of Holy Spirit to partner with Him and hear from Him even in the midst of what you're doing.

It's learning to put your life on PAUSE. When our life is on pause, His will is in play. It may feel like you're losing time, productivity, or efficiency, but in the kingdom you're gaining ground. Everything we know about Moses we know because he came to know God in that moment.

CONCLUSION

What impact could be waiting on the other side of your decision to turn aside? Don't listen to what the app is saying. You'll be able to keep running. Listen to the whisper. Press pause. It will be for your good.