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The poetry of Catherine Baird
Catherine Baird was a gifted writer and, as a Salvation Army Officer, was used in that capacity for Salvation Army publications. In addition, she wrote poetry and song words, some of which are in the Salvation Army Songbook. These devotional thoughts are linked to some of her songs.
Exodus 3:1-4 New International Version (NIV)
Moses and the Burning Bush
3 Now Moses was tending the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian, and he led the flock to the far side of the wilderness and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. 2 There the angel of the Lord appeared to him in flames of fire from within a bush. Moses saw that though the bush was on fire it did not burn up. 3 So Moses thought, “I will go over and see this strange sight—why the bush does not burn up.”
4 When the Lord saw that he had gone over to look, God called to him from within the bush, “Moses! Moses!”
And Moses said, “Here I am.”
Exodus 4:1-5 New International Version (NIV)
Signs for Moses
4 Moses answered, “What if they do not believe me or listen to me and say, ‘The Lord did not appear to you’?”
2 Then the Lord said to him, “What is that in your hand?”
“A staff,” he replied.
3 The Lord said, “Throw it on the ground.”
Moses threw it on the ground and it became a snake, and he ran from it. 4 Then the Lord said to him, “Reach out your hand and take it by the tail.” So Moses reached out and took hold of the snake and it turned back into a staff in his hand. 5 “This,” said the Lord, “is so that they may believe that the Lord, the God of their fathers—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob—has appeared to you.”
Devotional Thoughts – by Lt. Colonel Diane O’Brien
The story of Moses and the burning bush is packed with logical arguments between the great “I Am” and a man who felt ill-equipped to do God’s work. Moses was working in his shepherding job, when he saw a sight that drew him in, and it was then that God spoke to him and called him to a different task. What follows in Exodus 3 and 4 is a list of Moses’ excuses, as if God did not know already his insecurities and inadequacies!
And when Moses said the Hebrews would not believe that He had sent him, God asked what he had in his hand. And the stick Moses held became a snake! The story reports that Moses was so frightened when God showed His power that he ran from it!
God’s equipping of His servants is not limited to the obvious gifts. He can use whatever is in our hand to communicate with His people. Stories in the Bible mention other unexpected things, like young boy’s picnic lunch and a jar of perfume.
We hold many things in our hands; from cornets to timbrels, from Bibles to disinfectant wipes, from food baskets to text messages.
If we give to God whatever we have in our hand, He might even lead people out of captivity, feed a hungry crowd, or refresh a stuffy room with the fragrance of His presence.
Eternal God, our song we raise
In thankful, overflowing praise,
For men of faith whose power was Thine,
Whose love no barrier could confine;
They humbly offered Christ their bread
And lo, the multitudes were fed!
Catherine Baird (1895-1984)
From The Salvation Army Songbook – #359