Follow The Fire | Amy Nicholson
- Free Church
- 2 days ago
- 3 min read
Follow The Fire | amy Nicholson | 21 June 2026
Follow the Fire
What if God is speaking more often than we realize?
Life is noisy. Between work, family, notifications, deadlines, and endless distractions, it's easy to move from one day to the next without ever slowing down. But what if, in the middle of our ordinary routines, God is trying to get our attention?
In Exodus 3, Moses is tending sheep when he notices something unusual - a bush that is on fire but isn't burning up. Instead of carrying on with his day, he stops. He becomes curious. He moves closer.
And that's where everything changes.
The fire speaks.
Moses encounters the living God, receives a new identity, discovers his calling, and begins a journey that would change history. The turning point wasn't that God suddenly appeared; it was that Moses chose to stop and pay attention.
The Fire Still Speaks
Many of us wish we could have a dramatic "burning bush moment." We long to hear God's voice clearly and confidently.
The encouraging truth is that the same God who spoke to Moses is still speaking today.
God is deeply personal. He knows each of us intimately and communicates in ways that draw us closer to Him. While our experiences may look different from Moses', His desire remains the same - to reveal Himself and lead His people.
The challenge is rarely that God is silent.
More often, we're simply too distracted to listen.
Seeking God's Voice
Following God begins with intentionally seeking Him.
Seeking isn't passive - it requires purpose. It means creating space to hear His voice above the noise of everyday life.
God speaks through many different avenues:
His Word, which is living and active.
Times of worship that lift our eyes back to Him.
Other believers who encourage, challenge, or speak truth into our lives.
Moments of quiet reflection where we intentionally remove distractions.
The question isn't whether God is speaking.
The question is whether we're making room to listen.
God Is a Consuming Fire
The burning bush reminds us that God is not only personal - He is holy.
Throughout Scripture, God is described as a consuming fire. He is loving, compassionate, gracious, and patient. But He is also majestic, powerful, and worthy of reverence.
Sometimes it's tempting to become overly familiar with God, forgetting the awe that should accompany His presence.
The God who welcomes us is also the Creator of the universe.
He is both near and holy.
This understanding transforms our worship. We don't gather simply because it's part of our weekly routine. We gather because we are responding to a God who deserves our wholehearted devotion.
Following the Fire
After meeting God, Moses didn't simply have a remarkable experience.
He spent the next forty years following Him.
The Israelites moved when the pillar of fire moved. They waited when it stopped. God's presence became their guide through every wilderness, every obstacle, and every miracle.
Following God still looks like that today.
It means trusting Him when the path ahead isn't clear. It means saying "yes" when He calls and laying down our own plans when He leads in a different direction.
As a church, we're stepping into a season we've simply called Follow the Fire.
It's an invitation to seek God's voice together, trust His leading, and believe that His plans are better than anything we could design ourselves. We don't know every step ahead, but we know the One who leads us.
Keep Your Eyes on Jesus
Hebrews 12 reminds us to throw off everything that hinders and to fix our eyes on Jesus - the One who began and perfected our faith.
When our faith grows tired, we remember His faithfulness.
When uncertainty comes, we trust His unshakable Kingdom.
When distractions compete for our attention, we choose once again to follow the fire.
God is still speaking.
The question is: Will we stop, move closer, and follow where He leads?
Life Group Questions
Have you ever had to completely change your plans because something unexpected happened? How did you respond?
Moses noticed the burning bush because he stopped and paid attention. What are some of the biggest distractions that keep us from noticing God at work in our daily lives?
In what ways have you experienced God speaking to you in the past (through Scripture, worship, other people, prayer, circumstances, or something else)?
Moses followed God's leading for the next forty years. Why is following God often more about daily obedience than one dramatic decision?
What is one distraction you need to put aside this week to create more space to hear God's voice?
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