take off your shoes

There has always been something about verses in the Bible that tell people to take off their shoes that made an impression on me… and I never really understood why. But now I think I might. It hit me the other day when I was praying for a friend. At first I kinda thought that it was specific to her… but I think it can be, and is, for everyone.

I love to be in my bare feet. There is something freeing and child-like and wonderful about not wearing socks or shoes. I love walking on the beach with the sand under my feet… or stepping into mud and having it squish between my toes. And there is something wonderful about stepping onto soft grass or a thick carpet and having it form around my feet. I often kick off my shoes while I am in church… because it just makes me feel free… and it just feels more… I dunno, maybe real, to me… like this is actually where I am. I can feel what is beneath me.

In Exodus when God is speaking to Moses from the burning bush, he tells him to take off his shoes, because the place where he is standing is holy ground. And again, in the book of Joshua when the angel of the Lord appears to Joshua before the destruction of Jericho, he tells him to take off his sandals because the place where he was standing was holy. These men were standing in the presence of God, and the commander of the Lord’s army. And they were told to take off their shoes, because everything around and within the presence of the Lord is holy.

I am sure that these guys were terrified. Moses was conversing with a flaming tree, and Joshua was standing before a mighty warrior. And in both situations they were being called to do “the impossible”. But their fear was over powered by the call of God on their hearts and in their lives.

Sometimes the places where doors open, and where God calls us, is scary. At the moment I am embarking on an adventure of my own. I was making plans to travel and do missions over seas, or maybe moving back to Kelowna. But these were just MY plans… MY thoughts. And nothing came of them. I kept on running into closed doors and dead ends. Then all of a sudden I was flung through this open gateway that I hadn’t even seen. And within 3 days, I had a place to live and a job in Abbotsford. Now this wasn’t really where I was planning or hoping to be this year, but I can see that God has opened these doors and created this opportunity for me. I am sitting on the ferry… with my car 2 floors below me full of all my belongings as I write this… and it just seems crazy to me that this has all happened in just 2 weeks!

I feel like God is just telling me to take off my shoes and run along this road set before me.

Before Jesus came and died for us so that we could have relationship with the Father, there were very specific times and places where God spoke to man. And his dwelling place was in the Holy of Holies in the temple. When Jesus died, the curtain separating us from God was physically broken. And we are now welcomed into a place, a lifestyle, where we are always with God, and he is always with us. The Holy Spirit is dwelling within us. Therefore, I feel like God is always asking us to TAKE OFF OUR SHOES! Now everywhere I walk, because the Holy Spirit lives with in me, I am walking on holy ground… as long as I am following the call of God in my life. It’s scary, and challenging. But don’t you think Moses was afraid when God called him to lead the Israelites out of Egypt? And God was constantly reminding Joshua to be strong and courageous!

So here I am… sitting on the ferry with my shoes off… walking into the childlike faith that Christ has called us too… ready to run on this holy path God has laid out before me.

Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.

Where is God calling you? Take off your shoes! Trust that he is going before you, is walking beside you, and is following behind you. Come on people! TAKE OFF YOUR SHOES!! There are blessings and freedom waiting for you when you listen and obey.