I love the Moses stories we are examining in this series of sermons called, “Let My People Go.” There are many lessons to be learned from the prophet, Moses. He was a Hebrew baby pulled from the Nile and adopted by pharaoh’s daughter. He grew up in the palace of pharaoh. When he reaches the age of 40, his life changes when he kills one of the Egyptian guards who Moses saw mistreating a Hebrew slave. Now, he must flee and leave this life of luxury. He becomes a sheep herder in the wilderness. It is there that Moses encounters God in the burning bush in Exodus 3. When God calls to Moses to come closer, he admonishes him and says, “Take off your sandals for the place you are standing is holy ground.”
What is holy ground? I would define it as any place where we meet God. That could be many places. For me it is those times when I get to help usher someone into the kingdom of heaven. For me it was the time years ago when I baptized a young man dying of aids at his home… in his bathtub! For me it was serving a meal at Christmas time at Skyline Urban Mission and looking into the face of a homeless person so grateful to receive a small amount of food and the gift of a toothbrush. Have you experienced those times when you stood on holy ground and felt God’s presence?
One place I regularly meet God is every Sunday in worship. It may be in the music I hear, or the sermon that is preached or in the words prayed on my behalf by another pastor. It may be in the smiles of our choir members or the joy that radiates from our lifelight singers. Now, that is holy ground!
Sometimes, I think we don’t realize we’re on holy ground because we haven’t prepared to meet God on that Sunday or we don’t expect God to touch our hearts. Worship can be something we find ourselves simply going through the steps and we don’t really engage. We know the prayers, we know the creed, we may have sung the hymn a hundred times…so we tune out. For some of us we didn’t take that first step to even get out of bed. Now, I get it. Some Sundays I’m really tired or my 68-year-old back is sore and telling me, “Don’t move, keep laying still.” But if you want to stand on holy ground and meet the God of all creation you must get up and figuratively take off your shoes to prepare to connect with God. Have you ever noticed our Muslim brother and sisters always take off their shoes before entering the mosque. They understand they are coming to meet God on holy ground.
Our Broadway sermon series is coming up. God is calling you like he did Moses in that burning bush. He’s saying I’m ready to meet you in worship…to engage your heart and soul. Are you ready to take off your shoes and stand on holy ground?
-Rev. Dave Poteet, Pastor of Congregational Care
