Notice the Fire is still Burning

The Fire That Still Burns
Pastor Calvin Cook
September 29, 2026 — Day 17 of 30
Praying for the Church

“God called to him from within the bush, ‘Moses! Moses!’ And Moses said, ‘Here I am.’” — Exodus 3:4

Moses was going about an ordinary day’s work, tending a flock, when he noticed something extraordinary: a bush was on fire, but it was not consumed. He turned aside to look. In that moment, God called his name.

As I prepare a sermon, I keep returning to that scene. How often does God call to us in the middle of ordinary life while our attention is fixed elsewhere? Moses stopped long enough to notice. Before he knew what God would ask of him, he answered, “Here I am.”

The bush burned without being consumed because God was present. That gives me hope as I pray for the Church. We may worry about what is changing, what is difficult, or what we cannot hold together by our own strength. Yet the work God calls us into rests on God’s presence and power. The light is God’s to kindle, and God can keep it burning.

God told Moses to remove his sandals, for the place where he stood was holy ground. Then God spoke of the suffering of his people and called Moses to go to them. Holy ground was the beginning of a calling that would lead him toward people in need.

Jesus called his disciples to notice people too: the poor, the hungry, the struggling, and those others passed by. He taught them to pray and sent them to share the gospel. After his resurrection, he commissioned them to make disciples of all nations. The Church still carries that calling into our families, friendships, congregations, and communities.

So today, as we pray for the Church, I am asking: What is drawing our attention? Where is God inviting us to stop, listen, and respond? What work is God calling us to carry forward in the name of Jesus?

Perhaps our first step is to pause and pray the words Moses prayed: “Here I am.” Then, with humility and courage, we can follow where God leads.

Prayer

Holy God, open our eyes to your presence in the midst of our ordinary days. Quiet the distractions that keep us from hearing your voice. Teach us to stand humbly before you and to notice the people you are calling us to love. Renew your Church in prayer, fill us with your Spirit, and give us courage to carry the gospel into our communities. When you call, help us answer, “Here I am, Lord.” In Jesus’ name, amen.