Week 1 January 2026, Devotion Part 1

Moses, Moses! …put off your shoes from your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.  Exodus 3:4-5

Are we as curious about the burning bush as Moses was? His landmark encounter with God would take him from tending sheep in Midian to masterminding Israel’s exodus from hostile Egypt. If our curiosity sends us to the Bible dictionary, we find that the information listed under Vegetable Kingdom cannot deliver the spark of illumination that leaps from the plain Bible text. So we must let it speak to us. Every divine promise comes with a directive. The first one is to step back from the mere fascination with the phenomenon. We do well to ponder the solid instruction of Proverbs 9:10, “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight.”

The “burning bush” in our life might be a burning issue that simply will not go away. It could be an unfulfilled desire, a recurring fear, a chronic doubt, a nagging hope, or a vague discontent. The door of our Egypt is slammed shut and the desert of our Midian seems to stretch on endlessly. We feel trapped in limbo and almost manage to get used to it. But then we overhear a chance remark or stumble upon something written somewhere and suddenly our cheeks flame with the shock of recognition. We are staring at our burning bush and marvel at its inescapable allure.  Part 1 of 2

Comment: My “Burning Bush” devotion first appeared in print in 1985 and I did most of my research with the help of Unger’s Bible Dictionary, published in 1957.  In 1973 it was in its 19^th printing and I had no problem finding the “bramble” [thorny shrub] cataloged under “Vegetable Kingdom.”  On the eve of the year 2026 I found myself doubting my sanity.  Briefly tempted to edit it out, I gave in to my passion for pursuing word origins.  This is what I learned: “The word ‘vegetable’ comes from the Latin vegetabilis, meaning ‘growing’ or ‘flourishing,’ derived from vegetare to be ‘alive’ or ‘to quicken.’  The English word was first recorded in the early 15^th century from Old French initially referring to anything capable of growth.  The specific culinary meaning of ‘vegetable’ as an edible plant wasn’t established until the 18^th century.”  Well, "whaddayaknow?"  A Merrill F. Unger wouldn’t sink that low to be relevant, but what if he switched to hip lingo and told me to go “vegetate” since I seem to be “bushed”? 

The Bible is its own best commentary on the Bible and therefore we know that there are no official New Year’s celebrations recorded in it as our culture defines them.  However,  Moses and the original Passover now enter the picture and in Exodus 12:2 the Holy One of Israel decrees, “This month is to be for you the first month, the first month of your year.”  This month, known as “Nisan” or “Abib,” corresponds to the March/April period in the Gregorian calendar and symbolizes a new identity and a fresh start for God’s people.  What if we went for that kind of old Jewish for the first day of our New Year and skipped the parade and pigskin?  Never mind, too thorny a concept to enact.