Friday, February 1, 2008
Exodus 3:5 "Do not come any closer," God said. "Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground."
LEAVE YOUR SHOES IN THE NARTHEX
It's common practice among family members, upon entering their home, to remove their shoes and leave them at the door so as not to track in unwanted dirt. In the burning bush story our Lord teaches us to do the same thing when we enter His house. We're not speaking here in literal terms, but figuratively. God wants us to "take off our shoes" before entering church by coming there with an attitude of humble awe and reverence, in the spirit of the tax collector in Jesus' parable, who prayed: "God, have mercy on me, a sinner" (Luke 18:13).
There is much worship that is carried on today that is irreverent. Methods of worship are employed that show little respect for God, where people seem intent on bringing the holy Lord down to the level of puny humans. May we on our part be encouraged to come before Him always with hearts filled with deep respect and holy fear, keeping in mind His Word recorded in Isaiah: "This is the one I esteem: he who is humble and contrite in spirit, and trembles at My Word" (66:2).
Coming before God in barefoot worship will mean that we come before Him with hearts focused on what we're about to do, namely, confess our sins and receive His forgiveness, praise and adore Him with our fellow Christians for His undeserved love, and drink in the words of eternal life in Christ our Savior. We will want to pray that the Holy Spirit speak to our hearts and bless us with a true understanding of the lessons our Savior is teaching, and help us apply those lessons to our lives during the week, to His praise.
Here's a prayer you can offer when you enter the Lord's house for worship:
Gracious Savior, good and kind, Light of Light, from God proceeding.
Open now my heart and mind, Help me by Your Spirit's pleading;
Hear the cry Your Church now raises, Hear and bless our prayers and praises.
(The Lutheran Hymnal, 16:3)
