Derek Smith, Lead Pastor LHBC
Exodus 3:1-8, 10
Now Moses was keeping the flock of his father-in-law, Jethro, the priest of Midian, and he led his flock to the west side of the wilderness and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. And the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush. He looked, and behold, the bush was burning, yet it was not consumed. And Moses said, “I will turn aside to see this great sight, why the bush is not burned.” When the Lord saw that he turned aside to see, God called to him out of the bush, “Moses, Moses!” And he said, “Here I am.” Then he said, “Do not come near; take your sandals off your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.” And he said, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God. Then the Lord said, “I have surely seen the affliction of my people who are in Egypt and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters. I know their sufferings, and I have come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians….Come, I will send you to Pharaoh that you may bring my people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt.
Just this year we entered the land of middle school. For the first time in our family we have a 6th grader. My little Princess is quickly becoming a young woman, and things are starting to change. One big change is she no longer wants her brothers in her room. That is her space (by the way, I can’t blame her because she has four brothers. We even have a boy dog for crying out loud!). So, she goes into her room and locks the door sometimes so that she can actually have some alone time away from the chaos that is four brothers ages 1, 4, 8, and 11.
In the famous passage above, Moses is minding his business just tending the flock when God calls to him from the burning bush. What first catches Moses’ attention is the fact that the bush isn’t being consumed by the fire. The reason for that is the fire of God was there to consume Moses. He was the one whose shame, guilt, and insecurity needed to be consumed by the fire of God so that the Lord could use Him in incredible ways. As Moses comes near, the Lord called to him from the bush and when Moses responds, the Lord tells him to remove his sandals because “you are standing on holy ground.” Wow….think about that….Holy Ground.
Very little in our culture is sacred anymore. There is very little respect, if any, left for the Bible or the things of God. Years ago churches actually left the doors to the church open at all times so that anyone anytime could come in and pray. Today, we have locks and commercial security systems because without them some would waltz in and help themselves to whatever they could find. But don’t miss what the Lord is insinuating to Moses here. Everything is sacred. Moses was not in a Temple or tabernacle, in fact, he’s out in the wilderness tending livestock; yet, this was a sacred space. Every space is a sacred space. Your marriage…your relationship with your kids…your job…your hobbies…at the gym…at school…on that date…on vacation…on the phone or computer….in your neighborhood. Every space is a sacred space. If you have turned from sin and confessed Jesus Christ as the Lord of your life, then His Holy Spirit lives in you. Wherever you are, He’s there! Every thought, every word spoken, every action or inaction happens in the very Presence of God. So, take the sandals off your feet. Before you think, speak, or act, remember that you are in the very Presence of God, and just like Moses you have a mission to carry out. You have a responsibility to set captives free with the love and hope of Jesus. So, Child of God, take the sandals off your feet today and be reverent in how you live, because you are standing on holy ground.
PRAYER FOR TODAY:
Oh God, you are holy and you live in my heart. You see and know every thought, word, and deed in my life. Lord, create a clean heart in me and renew a steadfast spirit. I humble myself before you today and recognize that you deserve my devotion and adoration. Be glorified in me today oh Lord. In Jesus name I pray, amen.
MEMORY VERSE OF THE WEEK:
2 Corinthians 5:17
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.