Welcome to my blog, “Before the Fire”! I named it thus because of the significance the story of Moses and the burning bush has for me. The Father God, creator of nature and destroyer of cities, descends to the earth as “a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush.” Moses, naturally, turns aside to find out where this flame came from and why it hasn’t consumed the bush. And here is where a simple story becomes a pillar in history. For it was here, within this bush, that the Lord of the Ages first revealed himself by name. Moses, unable to draw near to God because he, unclean, stood before holy ground was yet given the all-powerful name to wield as a weapon in freeing God’s people. “I AM WHO I AM,” God says. Moses stood before the fire of the Lord God Almighty and became the first to hear the Lord introduce himself by name. What a tremendous and terrifying honor.

Today, though, we are able not only to stand before the fire of God, but we are able to draw near as well. The ground God stands upon will always be holy, but we, as the adopted brothers and sisters of Jesus, have been made clean. I am starting this blog about halfway through a Bible study of James that I co-lead with my mom. Early on in the study I began consolidating my thoughts from each week’s passage by writing a short, informal essay. Most of my posts, at least right now, will be based on ideas from specific passages in James, but I’m excited for all sorts of possibilities in the future. Please join me in standing and worshiping before our Lord, the Consuming Fire.