Sacred Places

"One day Moses was tending the flock of his father-in-law Jethro, the priest of Midian. He led the flock far into the wilderness and came to Sinai, the mountain of God. There the angel of the LORD appeared to him in a blazing fire from the middle of a bush....When the LORD saw Moses coming to take a closer look, God called to him from the middle of the bush, 'Moses! Moses!' 'Here I am!' Moses replied. 'Do not come any closer,' the LORD warned. 'Take off your sandals, for you are standing on holy ground.' " Exodus 3:1,2,4,5

"Moses

knew palaces, inside,

(no wistful gazes from without)

Walked with kings

and gave commands,

tasted power

and cracked whips,

protected by his position.

It took a desert, stripped and barren,

instructions from One invisible,

loudly calling,

flames, searing by not consuming,

before he truly heard.

But I envy the clearness

of communication.

For I see no burning bush

blazing in my backyard.

No clear commands

Invade my thoughts

cutting through common sense and staidness.

Lord, lead me out of Egypt,

from the protection of palace walls.

Lead me away

alone to unpeopled places.

Alone, I'll take off my shoes.

Alone I'll listen.

I'll find You on Your holy ground."

Joan Rae Mills

God encounters. Oh how we love to hear about them, and long even more that they mark our daily lives. Our hearts desire a "burning bush" and the clarity with which Moses heard God speak. Holy ground. Sacred places. Breathing in moments of glory and seeing Christ. This morning I yearn for such barefoot worship. There's absolutely nothing of perfection or pride, performance or platform. Humility removes shoes and comes thirsting, seeking more.

Moses had taken the sheep "far into the wilderness". It's in this often undesirable space that God appears. We resist, but God insists because He knows it's the answer to our soul's hunger. He draws us into deserts to bring us to Himself. 

And do you see it? It was Moses' coming closer, yearning to see clearer, that prompted God to speak. Moses took time to turn aside. Seek and you will find. James 4:8 puts it this way, "Draw near to God and He will draw near to you." The prophet Jeremiah wrote of the Lord, "You will seek Me and find Me when you seek Me with all your heart." (Jeremiah 29:13)

I believe God offers this opportunity continually to His followers. He is present in "burning bushes" but our lives are so full that we run by, only catching a peripheral glimpse instead of pausing to gaze. Moses came to take a closer look. Where are we drawing near to really see Him? A kitchen table. A church pew. A coffee shop. A hospital hallway. A recliner on an early morning. A child's embrace. A nursing home. Bended knees. A barren wilderness. A whirlwind. The bedside of one entering glory. His daily word. Sacred places are all around us.

"Oh, praise the Lord!

'This earth is crammed with heaven!'

Oh, praise the Lord!

And, Christian, look around!

For every bush you pass with fire is flaming,

And every spot you tread is holy ground."

Anne Ortlund