Take Off Your Shoes
By
Elin Henderson
“…Take
off your sandals for you are standing on holy ground“
Exodus 3:5b (NLT)
One of the things I got
used to quickly living among the Mwinika people here in Mozambique was the need
to remove my shoes when sitting down on their mats. When you arrive for a
visit, a woven mat is quickly set out, you remove your shoes and sit down. It’s
not so much that the mats are so clean or dirt free, but it’s an act of
respect. I also learned quickly that flip flops are the way to go. Dealing with
a bunch of ties, buckles or Velcro every time, is just a pain!
Here in Exodus we find
Moses being told by the Lord to take off his shoes because the land he was
standing on was holy. It wasn’t that the land itself was anything special, it
was just an ordinary piece of land, but the presence of God made it holy.
Sometimes we need to be
reminded of the presence of God turning the ordinary piece of land on which we
are standing into a holy place. We aren’t alone; God is there with us. Wherever
we find ourselves, whatever struggle might be upon us, whatever challenge lies
before us, God brings His presence to that piece of land and makes it holy. We don’t
stand alone!
In order to remind
ourselves of this, maybe we need to start taking off our shoes more often. It’s
a good way to remember that God’s presence is there with us. Of course
depending on where you are, you might have to do a little explaining as to this
odd behavior.
So, the next time you
are feeling overwhelmed and all alone, kick off your shoes and remind yourself:
the ordinary ground you are standing on is holy because God is standing there
with you!
FURTHER READING:
Psalms
37:7; Psalms 21:6; Psalms 139:7-12
Oakwood's missionaries, Elin Henderson (a registered nurse) and her husband Phil, serve as church planters with New Tribes in Mozambique, Africa. Elin is mother to fourteen-year-old Callie and twelve-year-old Elias.
Oakwood's missionaries, Elin Henderson (a registered nurse) and her husband Phil, serve as church planters with New Tribes in Mozambique, Africa. Elin is mother to fourteen-year-old Callie and twelve-year-old Elias.
