Pastor Rich Lammay
In the book of Exodus, we read about Moses’ encounter with God. God manifest himself in the form of a bush that was burning but not consumed. Moses saw the bush and decided to climb the mountain and check it out.
Exodus 3:4-6 says; “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.”
God had a plan for Moses’ life, it was different than what Moses was doing (keeping his father-in-law’s sheep). But before God revealed his plan to Moses, he revealed who he is. Moses had been raised in a polytheistic culture where what they worshiped was far from the true and living God. So, it would take Moses to understand that when you meet with the creator God, it’s different than bowing to the things that the culture says are gods.
First, God called Moses, by name. The bible teaches that God knows you. God knows where you are and knows you so intimately, he even knows how many hairs are on your head (Matthew 10:30).
Next, God told Moses to take off his sandals, because he was on “holy ground”. That’s something that seems to be missing in our world today, a reverence for being in God’s presence. Yet, whenever we gather in worship, as we pray, and even when you read your bible, the very presence of the living God is with you. With Moses taking off his shoes, we have a picture of how we can enter into the presence of God. No one can approach God on things made by human hands. Yet that’s exactly what people want to do. They want to approach God by their good deeds, pious activities or their religious affiliation. But there’s only one way to stand before God.
In the book of Hebrews, we read that Jesus is our great high priest who sympathizes with our inability to get to God. He was tempted like us, but did not sin. Therefore, through Jesus we can boldly approach God and find mercy and grace.
It’s because Jesus is the great “Mediator” between us and God that by his sacrifice on the cross you can know the one true God. While we live in a culture similar Egypt, in that we worship many false things, we have a savior who stands in the gap and allows us to know God, have our sins forgiven and ultimately go to heaven. If you want to know God, He is reveled to us as we seek him. And he is revealed in your bible. Then as you trust in Jesus, you’re able to stand on holy ground because you’re not standing in your own righteousness, but His.
