So Moses thought, “I will go over and see this strange sight—why the bush does not burn up.” When the Lord saw that he had gone over to look, God called to him from within the bush, “Moses! Moses!” Exodus 3:3-4

Have you ever wondered why God does what He does? Have you ever questioned His plans? There are so many instances in the Bible and in our lives today where God acts in a way that we simply don’t understand. Sometimes when this happens we choose to simply accept that we will never really understand the infinite being that is God. Other times we press on with the intention of understanding. In my life the deciding factor between these two reactions is often how invested I am in whatever is taking place. A low investment often means I simply accept I will never know, while a high investment means I struggle to understand. Sometimes I get to understand, but more often than not I am left to accept the truth that God’s ways are not our ways as Isaiah points in Isaiah 55:8-9. Just because God is different doesn’t mean we should give up on understanding Him. In fact we should strive to understand Him more and more. But how can we go about that? Let me suggest one simple tool, curiosity. Are you curious to where this is going? Why not keep reading and see what the Bible has to show us about a curious spirit and the way God can lead us to a revelation of who He is. 

When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today. Luke 19:5

I call curiosity a tool, like any tool it can be used correctly or it can be used the wrong way. We can see this in the story of Adam and Eve. Eve was walking in the garden and the serpent tempted her. He played on her sense of wanting to know the unknown. This story doesn’t tell us that curiosity is bad. In fact Jesus uses curiosity to save people. In the book of Luke we have the account of a chief tax collector who really wanted to know more about Jesus. Zacchaeus climbs up into a tree to see Jesus better and Jesus uses this moment to connect with him. This story, just like the story of Adam and Eve, does not define curiosity as good or bad. It's all about the person who uses it. 

So let's dive into a story where God uses curiosity for His purposes. In the book of Exodus we find the curious story of a bush that is on fire and yet does not burn up. Exodus chapter 3 and 4 is a famous passage where Moses receives his mission from God to save the children of Israel from their captivity in Egypt. Before receiving this mission Moses is living a life trying to forget all about Egypt. He is a shepherd watching sheep. Moses grew up knowing about God and about his heritage but he was fleeing from everything he knew. But God had a purpose for him. So God camps out and lights a fire. 

For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. Isaiah 55:8

God could have gotten Moses’ attention in many different ways. Later in the exodus story we are told about God’s presence hovering over a mountain and a great storm being there. We are shown that God has power of all of nature in the 10 plagues that God sends upon Egypt. Yet when God wants to get Moses’ attention He does it in a subtle way. The Bible tells us that Moses noticed the bush did not burn up. Fires don’t burn up immediately, it takes some time for a bush to burn up. Moses must have been watching this bush for a little while to notice this. Once his curiosity is peaked Moses goes over to the bush and this is when God chooses to reveal himself. Exodus 3:4 says “When the Lord saw that he had gone over to look, God called to him from within the bush, ‘Moses, Moses.’” 

What I love about this story is that God allowed Moses to come to Him through his own natural curiosity. What I love even more is that God continues to use Moses' desire to understand to reveal more and more about Himself. Throughout their conversation Moses could have left. This was the God that he was trying to run away from and forget. Yet God kept on providing Moses with reasons to stay. Miracles, revelations of His name, connections to Moses’ past, and a mission were all tools that God used to keep Moses curious. 

And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. John 17:3

How is God inspiring you to be curious today? This simple question can spark deep discovery but you have to lean into it. There are instances where our curiosity can get the best of us like with Adam and Eve, but when we depend on God to provide us with the knowledge and the questions He will use them to reveal Himself to us, like He did with Zacchaeus, like He did with Moses. You may have questions about God, you may be wondering what His plans are for you, you could be running away from Him right now. Through it all God is reaching out, through it all God is inviting you to explore who He is. God is inviting you to discover the “I am” of the Bible, the Messiah of the world, the God who is so infinite that we cannot fully grasp who He is, and yet He is inviting you every day to learn more about Him.