1 rich Libsyn https://www.libsyn.com 90 600 Ablaze but Not Consumed | Exodus 3:1–12 What if the life that sets you on fire doesn't have to burn you out? By the time Moses encounters the burning bush, he knows what it feels like to be burned up and hollowed out. His attempt to fight injustice has ended in violence and failure, and he has spent decades in exile. Then, in the wilderness, he encounters a fire unlike any he has known before—a bush ablaze with heat and light, but somehow still alive. In this sermon, Rev. Lucy Baum explores the difference between the fires that consume us and the life God calls us toward. Violence, hatred, fear, competition, and the relentless pressure to prove our worth can leave us charred and hollow. God's fire is different: it burns without consuming. And when Moses doubts whether he is capable of what God is asking of him, God doesn't answer his question with reassurance about Moses's abilities. God simply promises, “I will be with you.” Through Moses's story and the reflections of Parker Palmer, Lucy invites us to consider where we might need to “turn aside”—to leave a path that is consuming us and risk stepping toward a life that makes us more fully alive. We may not receive assurance before we take that step. Sometimes we only recognize the path by looking backward. But God will be with us. Preached by Rev. Lucy Baum at First Presbyterian Church of Charlotte on August 30, 2026. Say Grace: A First Presbyterian Church Podcast http://firstpres-charlotte.org <iframe title="Libsyn Player" style="border: none" src="//html5-player.libsyn.com/embed/episode/id/42649885/height/90/theme/custom/thumbnail/yes/direction/forward/render-playlist/no/custom-color/101823/" height="90" width="600" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen webkitallowfullscreen mozallowfullscreen oallowfullscreen msallowfullscreen></iframe> https://assets.libsyn.com/secure/content/205687100