““Then the Lord said to him, ‘Take off your sandals, for you are standing on holy ground.”
Acts 7:33 (NLT)
Moses is out shepherding, he notices the bush, and he goes closer. And as a result of Moses getting closer, God speaks. That’s what hits me today—when you draw near to God, he speaks. But he doesn’t only reveal who he is; he starts preparing you for what he’s about to call you into.
In Exodus, God tells Moses, “Don’t come any closer,” and then gives him the instruction from our verse today: take off your sandals. We can’t keep moving closer while we’re still dragging dirt, grime, chains, distractions, and weights into the presence of God. Sometimes the sandals are busyness. Sometimes it’s sin. Sometimes it’s the to-do list, the past, shame, disappointments, fear, anxiety, or stress. But if we want intimacy, we have to take off what’s keeping us from staying there. Then we can stand on holy ground.
And when Moses obeys, the conversation changes. God doesn’t just say, “Here’s who I am.” He says, I see my people. I’m not deaf to their groans, their complaints, their desperation—and I’ve come to rescue. God wants to rescue you today too. But notice this: rescue doesn’t stay private. God speaks to Moses about deliverance, and then he speaks to Moses about assignment. “Go. I’m sending you back to Egypt.”
After forty years in exile, Moses is no longer just called—he’s prepared. He has the education of Egypt, he’s learned how to shepherd a flock, and now he’s had an encounter with the Lord where he heard from the living God. So I’m taking off my sandals today. I want to stand on holy ground until I receive a special instruction that’s meant to bless somebody else. After you hear from the Lord, he says “Now go.” God is always sending you back to your workplace, church, and home to rescue others with the insight he gave you on holy ground.