Wednesday 4th March - Moving Beyond Ourselves

DAILY BYTE

Most of us, upon sensing a divine call to loving action in some specific way, almost immediately begin struggling with our natural tendencies to selfishness. This is powerfully addressed in the story of Moses’ call. Did you notice how as Moses approached the burning bush, he was commanded to remove his sandals because he was standing on holy ground?

Wherever and whenever God enters our lives, that space becomes holy and sacred! Moses was told to recognise the sanctity of the moment by removing his shoes – a common practice in many Eastern religions. Now, I am no desert expert, but I would guess that dependable footwear is just about one of the most important accessories for your average intrepid nomad. Hot sand, snakes, scorpions and other dangerous, wriggly things are just a couple of reasons I would be pretty determined to keep my shoes on!

Yet, the removing of his sandals forms an important part of the overall story – it is a detail that should not be skipped over. Did you notice how Moses had seen the burning bush, he had sensed the divine, but that he did not hear God’s voice until he removed his shoes.

The reason so many religions insist upon removing your footwear when you enter a sacred is not only because it is a mark of respect, but also because it symbolises our vulnerability and the removal of that everything we humanly depend upon to protect us.

We learn from this story how important it is to actively removing everything we normally rely upon to protect and defend our selfishness – the ways we justify our ways of living as if we are the centre of the universe. Take off that which you are relying upon to protect and define you, take off all that is comfortable and self-reliant.

There is an immense and rather raw vulnerability attached to calling – to move beyond ourselves. This is essentially because calling is about us becoming less so that God becomes more. As John the Baptist once said (and I paraphrase): ‘Less of me and more of him.’

Our part in God’s great plan to reach the world is to serve as humble servants of one another and the great High God. Putting aside our natural inclinations to selfishness is one way of ‘taking off our sandals,’ of recognising that hearing God’s call brings us into a sacred space because we learn that there is far more to life than just us.

Taking off our shoes is about stepping out of ourselves and any self-reliance, for all too often it is we ourselves who get in the way of God’s voice. It is our refusal to remove our sandals – to deal with our vanities, ambitions, lusts and pride – that cause us to rush on by life’s burning bushes without even noticing.

What exactly would it mean for you to ‘remove your sandals’?

PRAY AS YOU GO

Holy God, it is both scary and intensely vulnerable to be told to remove our ‘sandals’. Help us to recognise exactly what it is we need to lay aside our pride and self absorption in order to open ourselves more fully to your voice. Amen.

FOCUS VERSE

Exodus 3 : 5-6

"Do not come any closer," God said. "Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground." Then he said, "I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob." At this, Moses hid his face, because he was afraid to look at God.