Holy ground
And Moses said, “I will turn aside to see this great sight, why the bush is not burned.”
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.” –Exodus 3:3-5 (ESV)
Moses wasn’t expecting to meet God that day. But he was observant and something caught his eye. When he stopped to have a look, God spoke to him. It happens a lot in Scripture – ordinary people minding their own business, only to look up and discover they are in the presence of God.
God is all around us, all the time – omnipresent is the 25-cent word for it. But we’re often too busy to see Him. I like this quote from Ruth Haley Barton: "The practice of paying attention awakens us to that which is extraordinary in the midst of the ordinary. And as we live our lives in response to the One who is calling to us out of the burning bush in our own lives, we discover that we are standing on Holy Ground more often than we think!"
A foxhole brother of mine was wondering aloud a few weeks ago whether God would ever put him to use on an “important assignment”. He was making plans at the time to move an elderly lady he attends church with into an assisted living facility. She has no family, she has advancing dementia, and she was anxious about the move. My friend and his wife stepped in. They helped her pick out her most useful and meaningful possessions that would fit into her new space, moved her and her belongings in, introduced her to the staff, and stayed there with her until she was settled and comfortable. Holy Ground.
This is the same brother who came up with an idea recently to ask his church small group to consider tag-teaming with him and his wife to offer childcare services to a young family with four small children, one of whom requires special care. The parents had not had an evening to themselves in years. His group agreed. The parents were blessed, the kids were blessed, and the group was blessed. Holy Ground.
This is also the same brother who hosts our foxhole each week in the workshop behind his house. When the weather is cold, he always has a fire burning for us. I don’t know what constitutes an “important assignment”, but this man shows me a picture of the love of God every week. Holy Ground.
Many years ago, the people of God had all but given up. Promises of Messiah had faded as the nation languished under the authority of yet another foreign power. No prophet had been heard in the land for 400 years. They still practiced their religious traditions and upheld the Law, but there was little vision. It was into that scene that a stable became Holy Ground. Angels proclaimed. Shepherds worshiped. God had shown up in the unlikeliest form in the unlikeliest place under the unlikeliest circumstances, to build the unlikeliest kingdom the world has ever known.
And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” –Luke 2:8-12 (NIV)
Jesus put flesh on the Almighty. Then He placed a spark of the Almighty into flesh in the person of His Spirit. Thus, a picture of God emerges. He’s all around us. Pay attention and see if you’re not standing on Holy Ground today. Heads up, eyes open!