Take Off Your Shoes

When Moses, while in the wilderness, went to investigate a flaming bush that did not burn up, God called to him and told him to not come any closer. In fact, God told Moses to take off his shoes, because he was standing on holy ground.

"'Do not come any closer,' God said.

'Take off your sandals,

for the place where you are standing is holy ground.'"

Exodus 3:5 (NIV)

I am certain that Moses, at that moment, took off his shoes quicker than any man has ever done. But why would God ask Moses to take off his shoes when he was in the presence of God? There are several answers to this question:

• Shoes collect dirt and grime; God is pure and holy. Therefore, the act of Moses's taking off his shoes symbolized God's character.
• Taking off one's shoes in many cultures is a sign of respect. For instance, in Canada, we take off our shoes before entering a person's home so that we don't track dirt onto his/her floors. This shows our consideration for others.
• Taking off one's shoes shows humility before a sovereign God. Standing barefoot strips a person of any pride.
• A person's shoes often reveal his/her wealth, and God does not want any love for our material gains to stand in the way of our relationship with Him. We are to desire God and God alone.

Do we hinder God's presence in our lives and churches by the clothes we choose to wear? Of course! Many times the clothes we choose to wear reveal the contents of our hearts. Such offensive clothes includes garments with skulls, personal items or clothing with pictures of male or female idols, t-shirts with crude or rebellious sayings, clothes designed with rips or gaping holes, and clothes worn for seduction.

If we desire the fullness of God's presence in our lives, our ministries, and our churches, we need to show our honour, respect, humility, heart's desire, and obedience in what we wear and what we don't wear.