God Waits for Consent

An invitation to turn and notice, to consent to the divine indwelling

“The searching, sifting presence of God comes as God's initiative. It is not something we need to seek, for it is already given us as Gift from all eternity. We become ever more present to this Presence only by way of release and receptivity. Not through the calculating grasp of acquisition.” ~ Martin Laird

“God does not want to force anything on us that we do not actually desire or choose for ourselves. So a lovely dance ensues between God and the soul that preserves freedom on both sides.” ~ Richard Rohr

God Waits for Consent

Recently I was slowly reading a well-known passage as a part of the Ignatian Spiritual Exercises, and struck by the dance of consent between Moses and YHWH.  

In the book of Exodus, Moses is out in the fields tending his sheep. He wanders out into the wilderness toward Mount Horeb, also known as the mountain of God. Maybe he was curious or seeking connection with God? 

As he approaches the mountain, he notices the burning bush that is not being consumed by the flame. The writer emphasizes his thoughts, “I must turn aside and look at this great sight”.

“When the Lord saw that he had turned aside, to see, God called to him out of the bush, ‘Moses, Moses!’ And he said, ‘Here I am.’” ~Exodus 3: 1-4 (NRSV)

Photo by joseph d'mello on Unsplash

So often we focus on the bush not being consumed by fire, yet, I’m struck by how God waits for Moses to turn aside. To stop what he’s doing, and draw near.

Would God have called out to Moses had he kept going? We don’t know. But God waited, God made a sort of bid for connection (a burning bush!) and waited to see if Moses would come closer. 

God then calls him to go back and set the Israelites free from slavery. Honoring Moses’s fear, God also reveals who God is, the God of Moses’ ancestors, I AM WHO I AM. 

When so often, especially women’s voices and choices have not been given the respect and right of consent, it is powerful to witness how God invites consent. When the angel appears to Mary, she responds with a yes that echoes throughout history. A yes to receive the indwelling Christ. In the Gospels, we continue to witness this through Jesus himself asking, “Do you want to be well?”