Holy Ground
Hello Bride of Christ,
My husband often shakes his head with laughter as he anticipates my response to his proposal to go out to a new restaurant for dinner, without fail I ask "What is the expected attire?" See, I really do not like to be over dressed or under dressed for any occasion. I want to blend in and not draw attention. I also want to appear like I knew where I was going, lol! Unfortunately, this does not always pan out for me. Sometimes circumstances and familiar locations can cause me to miss what is actually going on if I do not slow down and really take account.
In the book of Exodus chapter 3, Moses is living his ordinary day- taking his father in-laws sheep out to feed along the mountain just tending the flock when the Angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire from the midst of a bush. (Exodus 3:1-2) Moses did not know his ordinary day would be the place where the living God would come down and meet him. It was so unexpected Moses spoke out loud to himself, "I will now turn aside and see this great sight, why the bush does not burn." (Exodus 3:3) This simple act of turning aside to understand what he was seeing caused God to speak, "Moses, Moses!" And that's when the ordinary mountain Moses had gone to time and time again with his sheep changed. It changed from ordinary to holy! For the Lord said to Moses, "Do not draw near this place, take your sandals off your feet, for the place where you stand is holy ground." (Exodus 1:4-5) Wardrobe change! Moses had to remove his sandals. Why?
Fast forward several years, to Joshua in the city of Jericho. Joshua had just been exalted by the Lord to take Moses' place among the people because Moses had passed into eternity. As Joshua was living his ordinary day of preparing to take over another city, for he knew he was called to lead the people into the promise land, Joshua encounters this man opposite him. As Joshua was accustomed to being in battle he did not bat an eye when he noticed the man was standing there with a sword drawn. Instead, Joshua went over to him and asked him a very frank question, "Are you for us or for our adversaries?" (Joshua 5:13) Then the man reveals his identity and says, "No, but as Commander of the army of the Lord I have now come." And Joshua fell on his face to the earth and worshiped, and said to Him, "What does my Lord say to his servant?" (Joshua 5:14) Wardrobe change! "Then the Commander of the Lord's army said to Joshua, 'Take your sandals off your foot, for the place where you stand is holy.' And Joshua did so." (Joshua 5:15) Yet again another wardrobe change! Anther instance of ordinary turned holy! Why?
Sandals were a common and ordinary type of footwear worn throughout history. Sandals were considered part of the standard dress and were considered basic necessity for a journey. Sandals during ancient Israel's history played a role in transactions between two parties, removal of sandals and exchanging to symbolize transfer of ownership and responsibilities. Also during the times of Jesus, sandals were removed as you entered a household and feet were washed by the house slave or the lowest in rank guest. This is why when Jesus washed the disciples feet at the last supper it meant to so much to His disciples. Feet were considered the dirtiest part of a person. Here with Moses and Joshua, the Lord asked them to remove their sandals which we can imagine were filthy as they both had been journeying through rough terrain. Essentially God was saying to them both, "remove where you have been and put the filthiest part of you up against My holy". God exchanged the ownership and responsibility of their filth to Himself.
Bride of Christ, Jesus invites us today to remove our sandals and recognize we are standing on holy ground. The prophet Jeremiah wrote, "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it?" (Jeremiah 17:9) Yet, this is where Jesus says, "Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and open the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me." (Revelation 3:20) Jesus desires to come into our hearts and change it from the ordinary state of wicked to holy. Because He is holy, therefore we too are made holy. It is time for a wardrobe change! Remove your sandals today, and allow Jesus' holy to touch your filth, that the new person you are in Christ may shine! Put on the new person who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created you. Let Jesus take up residency in your heart and strengthen you to stand on holy ground!
