Long ago there came a moment in Midian when that remarkable man, Moses, had his life turned around. Having failed in Egypt to lead his people out of their slavery, he now felt defeated. He had abandoned his high goal; he had given up his great ideal. He was a shepherd now, keeping Jethro's sheep, hoping nobody would find him in the mountains to which he had fled. But God found him. And God turned him around. Out of a burning bush God said, in effect, "Moses, don't give up on your dream." Your ideal is good, your goal is worthy, said God. Go down there and bring my people out, God said; but this time do it my way, and I will be with you, and this time you will not fail. Well, you know the story: Moses did go and he did not fail. In the most dramatic human adventure of all history, he brought those people out.

Most of us in life, sometime or other, need to experience a kind of "Midian moment" of our own. We need the experience of turning aside, as it were, to see some bush aflame and hear a voice that fires us with courage again.

This morning, as we are here in church, we have turned aside a little while from the busy, confused, difficult, and complicated world out there. No bush is burning here, but God is present, and God is saying things to every listening heart. If any of us today have come with any feeling of defeat, if we have given up, I hope we can hear that same message God spoke to Moses: Pursue the high goal, and I will be with you; hold fast the great ideal; don't give up on your dream.