A fire that burns but does not consume—that is God’s infinite love. But the question is, how can we experience His love and care in a very personal way today?
“But Moses said to God: ‘Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh, and that I should bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?’ So He said, ‘I will certainly be with you’” (Exodus 3: 11–12). This was the Bible text Helge Mutschler, then still Chief Apostle Helper, used for a divine service in Freudenstadt, Germany, on Sunday, 18 January 2026.
This passage refers to a biblical episode that brings this year’s motto, “Don’t be afraid. Just believe!” to life in a very practical way. It has to do with Moses. Over time, the Israelites were increasingly oppressed in Egypt, until they were eventually forced into slavery. One day, Moses saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew, so he killed the Egyptian. But this had not gone unnoticed. That is why he had to flee to Midian, where he tended sheep in the desert. There he noticed a burning bush that was not being consumed by the flames. And it was here that he encountered God.
Not alone in the desert
God’s presence and love were revealed in that burning bush. He had seen the misery of His people, the Chief Apostle Helper said. “This is God, a pastoral caregiver.” He is not indifferent to the conditions on this earth. And He charged Moses with liberating the Israelites from Egyptian captivity. Moses was not comfortable with this mission. He was worried about his past and asked, “Who am I?” But “God did not even answer the question, but merely said, ‘I will certainly be with you.’”
In return, Moses wanted to know whom He was speaking to. “Then came this mysterious reply from the bush: ‘My name is YHWH’ – which translates as ‘I AM WHO I AM’. I was who I was. I will be who I will be. I am here.” Faithful, eternal, and ever-present. Chief Apostle Helper Mutschler underlined: “God is now telling you personally: ‘I want to be with you,’” in everyday life, in times of joy, in times of boredom, in your daily routines. “And secondly, I want to be with you even in your desert.” That is, in need, in hunger, in thirst, in distress, and in misery.
“We really need to look very closely to see when God is with us.” Often, He is present in the ordinary moments of life, and when something seems slightly different. “It is precisely in moments like these that you discover God.” God burns for you, and this fire symbolises God’s infinite love—but it does not consume.
In God’s heart
“I will certainly be with YOU”—which raises the question, “Who am I, then?” – “God calls your name”, because through baptism with water and Holy Sealing “your name is inscribed into God’s heart”. The Chief Apostle Helper emphasised: “You are a somebody, and God created you because He wants to live with you for eternity.” And he continued: “You mean so much to Him, you are so precious in His eyes.” You are worth more than all the diamonds.”
“I want to be with you,” and “Who are you to say that?” – “YHWH.” Two meanings have been associated with this name. On the one hand, the resurrection, the vine, life, the light, and salvation: “I AM WHO I AM.” Just like faithfulness and love—which is unchanging in this. On the other hand, “I am here.” With closeness, with relationships, with fellowship, with being together. In joy, in sorrow, in despair, in gratitude. God is very near. He is a caring and compassionate God—a pastoral caregiver.
“How do you respond to this love of God?” asked Chief Apostle Helper Mutschler. “Yes, my God, I want to be with You.” We want to spend time with God because we love Him. And this love prompts us to pray with full awareness and actively seek fellowship. “I want to be with You, God, in my joy and in my sorrow, no matter what circumstances I find myself in.” And we want to be with Jesus Christ and stand up for Him. We want to live Christian love and speak kindly, pray, and support others: “For my God is with me, and so I will also be with you.”
“We do not need to dread the return of Jesus,” the Chief Apostle Helper emphasised. Indeed: “He will open the heavens, look into our eyes, and say, ‘My dear bride, I have loved you from the very beginning.’ And will certainly be with you. Take My hand; I will lead you into heaven. I want to be with you for all eternity, because I love you so much.’”
Photo: NAK Süddeutschland
