From S. Michael Wilcox and his book “When Your Prayers Seem Unanswered”:
I have loved the story of God’s appearance to Moses in the burning bush. I think it is a wonderful image to hold onto when we think of our Father in Heaven: “Now Moses kept the flock of his father in law, the priest of Midian: and he led the flock to the backside of the desert, and came to the mountain of God, even to Horeb. And the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush: and he looked, and behold, the bush burned and the bush was not consumed. And Moses said, I will now turn aside and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt” (Exodus 3:1-3; emphasis added).
It is so very critical to believe, and to believe firmly, that God is a burning fire that is unique above all other fires. He will give us warmth! He will give us light! He will cleanse and purge us as does the refiner’s fire! But not consume us. The flame of his love is meant only for good—it is not a destroying fire. Of this we may be certain. “The bush was not consumed, nor will be in our encounters with the God of light.
I conclude with this final thought. I believe that every good thing in life that we desire is on the straight and narrow path. As long as we stay on the path every truly enjoyable and fine thing in life and eternity can offer will be ours. Sometimes, while seeking for happiness or fulfillment we may stray from the path, vainly believing we will find our hearts’ desires beyond the road our Savior has established, but if we’ll stay on the path everything we want in life will be ours. It’s a wish-fulfilling path designed to lead us to every good, noble, righteous thing we want, if we’ll just follow it. In truth it will provide greater things than we can ever imagine, for did not the Lord say: “Since the beginning of the world men have not heard, nor perceived by ear, neither hath the eye seen, O God, beside thee, what he hath prepared for him that waiteth for him” (Isaiah 64:4).
If you are like me, I usually want the desirable blessing to be just a few feet ahead of me on the path. However, sometimes the Lord has given me a pair of binoculars and say, Well, it’s on the path, but it’s in the distance there. Then I have to be patient, confident that if I’ll just walk the path, all will, in due time, be well.
May we walk that path, trusting that every desire of our hearts that truly brings happiness, will be there. May God bless us in our fourth watches. May our ships be tight like a dish. May we have patience to wait for life, measured by the wisdom of God, to carve the holding places in our hearts. May we remember that God does not give stones or serpents, he only gives bread and fish. May we understand all things that God gives are good, and even the negative ones he can make good. May we respond to his nourishing and bring forth good fruit in spite of the soil in which we might have been planted. May we trust that the Lord himself will, in time, wipe away all the tears. May God’s burning fire give us light, warmth, and cleansing. And may God bless us as we walk his path of happiness.
This is my prayer for myself, my family, my friends, and for all of God’s children wherever they may be. ~ S. Michael Wilcox, (the final entry in this book): When Your Prayers Seem Unanswered (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 2006), p.59-62.
