Mensa Otabil - This Is Holy Ground
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We are looking at the book of Exodus, chapter 3, and considering the call that God gave to Moses. This is verse number five: «Then He said, 'Do not draw near this place; take your sandals off your feet, for the place where you stand is holy ground.'» Moses has moved from his home, from his village where his father-in-law and family live in Midian, and now he’s in a new place called Horeb. The place has been there all along; it’s not that the place was invented.
All of a sudden, something has changed in this place: the presence of God comes upon it, and the place has changed. Moses is standing in a place that was normal a moment ago, and it’s no longer normal now. The first instruction that God gives him is, «Don’t draw near to this place,» because something has changed about where you are and don’t come any further. In that moment, the land has become sacred ground; it’s now holy ground, and it’s God’s ground. It’s not Pharaoh’s ground, it’s not Egypt’s ground, it’s not Jethro’s ground, it’s not Israel’s ground, and it’s not even Moses’s ground; it’s God’s ground. God says, «You’ve moved from your place to My place, and be careful how you conduct yourself in My place because it’s no longer yours.»
So, Moses stops, and God gives him a second instruction. The second instruction He gives him is to take off his sandals. In the culture of Moses, he understood this because when you are in the presence of someone you revere and respect, you take your sandals off. It’s a sign that this is holy ground; this is God’s presence. God is here, and you must observe spiritual protocol. There’s something we must understand about God: there are moments when He shows up. He’s everywhere, but there are moments when He manifests, and places that seem ordinary become special. We have to recognize and show reverence when God shows up. That’s the first thing we see.
Removing the sandals also meant that if this is God’s ground, then nothing must stand between you and God’s presence. The shoes must not interfere with this atmosphere, so take away anything that is a hindrance or that tries to be a mediator between God and you. Take them away; remove the sandals so that you can stand with your bare feet on holy ground. When God wants to give us an experience, He doesn’t want anything to stand between us and that experience. There are moments when God wants everything out of the way so He can encounter you directly. That’s what He meant when He said, «Take away the sandals because I want to encounter you directly.»
Secondly, the sandals represent the journey that Moses has taken. He has been journeying from Egypt to Midian and from Midian to the mount of God. God says, «Take off your sandals because I’m about to send you on a journey. It’s not what Pharaoh sent you on; it’s not what your father-in-law sent you on. I’m about to send you on a journey, and as a result, I want you to submit all the things you’ve experienced in the past and let Me take you where I want to take you.» So, take off your sandals. It is holy ground; revere God. But it also means you are about to start a new journey.
I believe there are many times when God comes into our lives. We may have journeyed and experienced many things in our lives, some of them bitter, but God is telling us, «Take off the sandals because you are about to start a new journey. It’s a new one; you’ve never experienced it before, and it’s going to take you places you never thought you would ever go. Are you ready for God’s journey?»
Let’s pray. Say with me: «Heavenly Father, help me to remove everything that stands between You and me. I’m ready to go where You send me. In Jesus' name, amen.» God is going to use you mightily; allow Him to do it. I’m Pastor Mensa Otabil. Shalom, peace, and life to you.