Have you ever had a burning bush moment that became a missed opportunity?  This morning as I read my devotion, the verse in Colossians 4:5-6 jumped off the page at me.  It reads, “Be wise in the way you act towards outsiders; make the most of every opportunity.  Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.”  I realized I had missed an opportunity.

A couple of weeks ago, we had a friend show up on our doorstep we hadn’t seen in over 20 years.  I was amazed that I even recognized him!!  We invited him in to visit with us for awhile to catch up, mostly about old times.  It didn’t take long for us to realize that he was still affected by his wife’s betrayal and their divorce which had kept him frozen in a particular time in his life.  He never remarried because of a lack of trust in women and still harbors extreme anger towards his ex-wife.  Before he left, he invited us to have dinner with him while he was visiting the area, but we declined because of tentative plans with friends.  We talked about getting together later, but I think in the back of our minds we thought this would be the last time we may see each other.

I missed an opportunity!!  God sent a burning bush and I walked right past it looking for a different opportunity, one that required changing my plans.  It was an opportunity that would have literally cost me nothing and I am sitting here feeling ashamed.  Ashamed because I call myself one of God’s chosen, His child, a believer, a reconciler.  I look back to our conversation with him and I realize there was nothing in my words that would have connected my friend to The Healer, to the one who loves him.  My voice was silent in the midst of his pain.

Why? What stopped me from being that voice in the wilderness that would prepare a way for the Lord to work in my friends life?  The word indifferent came to mind which means: no sympathy, of no concern, and the next meaning kicked me right in the stomach, lukewarm!  Ugh!  Lukewarm?!!  I didn’t want to be lukewarm!  I knew what scripture said about being lukewarm in Revelations 3:16, “so, because you are lukewarm-neither hot nor cold-I am about to spit you out of my mouth”  Some translations say “spew”.  I didn’t want to be spewed out of God’s mouth. Did I really deserve to be spewed out?  I have been about your work, Lord?  I serve every Sunday and attend small group.  I’m a good Christian.   Yet, I knew deep in my heart I deserved just that.  I was guilty of sitting on the fence, of being lukewarm!!  My friend wasn’t the first person I had acted this way towards, but I pray that it will be the last.

Revelation 3:19 goes on to say, “Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline.  So be earnest and repent.” As I sit here today, my heart is saddened by the missed opportunities that God has put in my path and  I am so thankful that He loves me enough to rebuke and discipline me. As I earnestly, with intense conviction, seek repentance, I pray that the Lord will continue to bring more burning bush moments.  That my indifference becomes compassion for the lost and broken.  Are you lukewarm?  Indifferent? Unsympathetic? Then turn to The Father, earnestly seeking His face!! Quit with the excuses and let His loving discipline reveal to you, His truth and His way!!  I pray the opportunity comes again to see our friend, for he needs to hear about a loving Father that can heal his brokenness.

Lord, I come to you broken and ashamed!!  I ask your forgiveness and thank you for your sweet discipline for I know it means you love me!!  I love you so much and my desire is never to disappoint you!!  I pray for those who are struggling with the same indifference and I ask that you begin to speak to their hearts so they can begin to walk in the plan you have for their life.  Break my heart for what breaks yours!  I never want to miss your burning bush again!!  Love, Wendy