The Burning Bush (version 5)

Many years have passed since Norman learned the ways of the Midianites and since his marriage to Olivia, and he was happier than ever. One morning, Olivia was fast asleep on their bed. Norman ran his fingers over her cheek, then he leaned over and kissed her there. She smiled in her sleep, and Norman whispered to her with a sweet smile, "I love you."

He got up from the bed, grabbed his shepherd staff, and gave her one last smile before leaving the tent. He looked at the flock of sheep and the mountains where the sun was rising and took a deep breath of fresh air, waiting to enjoy another day of watching his flock. He walked through the flock and petted one of the sheep, but one of his favorite sheep baaed from a nearby cliff nearby and started running into the mountain. Norman chuckled and started to follow it.

The sheep ran into a cave, and Norman said to himself as he climbed the cliff, "It's too early for this." He went inside the cave and started looking for the sheep, but he saw a blue and white light in one part of the cave.

He heard the sheep's baas and climbed down the cave to find the light source. He got to the bottom and saw a bush burning white flames on a rock. Out of curiosity, Norman took one end of his staff and placed it over the flames to see if they would burn it. He brought the staff back and saw no flames on it. He touched the end with his hand, but he felt no heat on it either.

He wondered if it was real and reached over to the flames to touch them to see if it would burn him, and some of the flames came on his hand. Norman brought his hand back and the flames disappeared in an instant. He looked at his hand to see no burns on him.

He wondered what sort of magic this was, and a wind blew inside the cave and a voice said to him, "Norman..." Norman looked around in surprise, wondering where the voice came from. The voice kept calling to him and he replied, "Here I am."

He waited for the voice to answer as he held his staff closer to him, and when it did, it revealed a spirit of a mighty lion which was the source of the voice coming from the bush. The spirit said to him, "Take the sandals from your feet, for the place on which you stand is Holy Ground." Norman looked down at his feet as the wind blew between them. He looked over at the lion spirit above the burning bush, "Who are you?"

The spirit answered, "I am that I am." Norman got confused and said, "I don't understand." The spirit replied, "I am the God of your ancestors, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob." Norman was shocked; the Hebrew God was speaking to him!

He dropped his staff and quickly took off his sandals as Arden's voice echoed in the cave, "*You were born of my mother, Mrs. Judson! You are our brother!*" Norman tossed the sandals aside and asked God, "What do you want with me?"

God answered as his flames aura turned from white and light blue to orange and yellow, "I have seen the oppression of my people in Egypt, and have heard their cry." He made Norman's voice from his last days in Egypt when he killed Old Blind Joe for whipping the old mouse echo in the cave, "Stop it! Leave that man alone!" The memory of that day made Norman's heart sting with pain, remembering saving the Hebrew slave and killing a slave driver at the same time.

God continued, "So I have come down to deliver them out of slavery, and bring them to a good land. A land flowing with milk and honey." Norman began to sob, remembering his painful last moments in Egypt and his last time with Adrian, and the sadness on his face when he left. God said to him, "And so, unto Pharaoh, I shall send... you." Norman couldn't believe what He was saying, and said, "Me? Wh-who am I to lead these people? They'll never believe me. They won't even listen."

"I shall teach you what to say," God said to him. He made a voice echo, "Let my people go!" Norman exclaimed with sadness, "But I was their enemy. I was the prince of Egypt, the son of the man who slaughtered their children. You've-you've chosen the wrong messenger! How can I even speak to these people?!"

God blasted white light in the cave, making Norman fall to the ground, and shouted, "Who made man's mouth?! Who made the deaf, the mute, the seeing, or the blind?! Did not I?! Now go!" Norman curled into a ball to protect himself from the light, terrified, and the flames died down into the same light blue flames, and smoke formed around him and gently lifted him in the air.

God said to him softly as the smoke got Norman on his feet, "Oh, Norman, I shall be with you when you go to the king of Egypt. But Pharaoh will not listen." He continued as the smoke came into the air and formed together, "So I will stretch my hand, and smite Egypt will all my wonders." The smoke blew around the cave and came around Norman. God said to him, "Take the staff in your hand, Norman. With it, you shall do my wonders."

The smoke placed the mouse down, and everything in the cave cleared up. God said to him, "I shall be with you, Norman." Norman looked up as a tear started rolling down his cheek and smiled at his encounter with God. He heard voices call his name and saw his staff laying on the ground. Remembering God's words, he grabbed his staff and got on his feet. He looked at the bush, which had leaves on it without any charred branches, and gave it an understanding smile.

Later that day, Norman found the sheep and they left the cave together. Norman stood on top of the hill with the staff in his hands and looked down at the village. A big smile grew on his face and he rushed back to his tent, where Olivia was folding some blankets and doing some chores. Norman came over to her, spun her in the air, and told her about his experience with God. He even told her that he had been chosen to free the Hebrews.

Olivia sat on the pile of blankets and sighed, "But, Norman, you are just one man." Norman put his hand on her cheek, turned her to face him, and said to her, "Olivia, please." Olivia brought herself away from him, not wanting to go to Egypt with him after how she was captured and brought to the royal court when she and her husband first met.

Norman sighed, and he had Olivia look over to Dawson and the girls, who were sewing a new tapestry together and Dawson laughed happily with the girls. Norman said to Olivia, "Look at your family. They are all free. They have a future. They have hopes and dreams, and the promise of a life with dignity. That is what I want for my people. And that is why I must do the task that God has given me."

Olivia thought of what he said for a moment. Then she looked at him and said as she hugged him, "I'm coming with you."

Their plan was settled. They began to make their journey the next morning after saying goodbye to Dawson, the girls, and the Midianites, and they rode off on Shining Armor as everyone waved goodbye to them.