BAREFOOT BEFORE GOD
Getting Real with The God Who Loves You
I am not a glam girl. My shoes never have bling and rarely take me very far off the ground. I am a practical, basic kind of gal. I envy the cute shoes and stylish boots of others, and some days my heart wishes to slide into a pair of black stilettos that make me look like something else! Truth be told, most days my shoes have unmentionables that need scrapped off the bottom.
That is hazard pay of farm life, I guess. I have a pair of muck boots that help me manage farm living and some ratty tennis shoes that cover the rest. Those smelly boots are the last thing I slip on before I head out to the barn, and the first thing I take off when I come back in the house. Don’t get me wrong, I do have a wide variety of cool shoes. (My family is glad to know I am aware of social cues and wear appropriate attire for any given situation.)
Although my shoes do not define me, they can sure make a statement about where I am going and what I am doing.
Do you remember the joy and fun of going barefoot when you were younger? The feeling of running through freshly cut grass, mud oozing between your toes, or maybe dipping your feet in cool lake water was so freeing. As a farm kid, I remember accidentally running over thistles, stones, and other unwanted elements that left negative impressions.
Without shoes, I experienced the reality of where my feet were taking me and what I was standing on. Going barefoot was freeing but also had a few painful moments as well.
I don’t know about you, but that pretty much sums up my entire Christian life. I have joy and freedom, but when the road gets painful, I begin second guessing where God is taking me. How about you?
Your heart wears shoes and makes statements about you, too. You have the cute, trendy heart you wear conveniently in public, on social media, and in social gatherings. You know, the one that makes you look pretty, and deep down you hope everyone else is a bit envious of it. This heart makes you feel happy, put together, confident, and impressive.
Then, there’s your practical heart that gets you through your day. It’s comfortable, necessary, and functional. But let’s not forget the dreaded stinky work boot-wearing kind of heart. You know, the mucky one you keep in the dark corner and hope nobody smells? Yeah, that one. And when the yuck becomes obvious to others, you continue pretending to be oblivious to the trail of footprints you leave on the backs of other people.
Shoes and hearts can be, well...let’s just say deceitful.
Moses experienced a heart check in Exodus 3:1-16. He was confronted by a Holy God who opened his eyes to the reality of where he was standing—in front of a burning bush on holy ground.
How did Moses respond? He took his shoes off, falling to his knees in awe and surrender. He was at the beautiful crossroads of being still and knowing his Yahweh. The ground became holy because it was exactly where Yahweh’s presence was manifested.
God chose to reveal Himself in order to draw Moses into deeper intimacy and prepare him to be a vessel of deliverance to His people. And sister, you are exactly in the crossroads where your reality needs to line up with God’s presence.
Are you in a burning bush moment? Are you face-to-face with God after seemingly years of feeling unnoticed by God? Moses came face to face with his God, and his heart was ready and open wide to respond. It’s the same sacred place He may be calling you now.
God wants you to stop and go no further until you see Him as your, I am. It’s time to stop pretending you are all put together and comfortable in your mucky boots.
No more running or hiding from your past or your present. He wants you in the here and now of your reality.
Is God really your God? Is your heart ready to be still and know Him? God told Moses the very same thing He is telling you: Take your shoes off! Where you are standing at this moment is holy ground, and it requires surrender.
It is His ground, not your territory.
God is in charge, and He wants your full attention. In this place, a relationship is formed between you and God because it is where His heart dwells. He will freely speak if you will have ears to listen and a heart that will receive His counsel.
My friend, He wants you to know Him. This raw, sacred soil can only be a reality when nothing comes between you and the Lord. You have to meet Him barefoot, surrendered and ready.
Where can you find this freedom? On the pages of your Bible.
This post is the introduction to my latest Bible study called “The Great I Am: Knowing God by Name”
“Take off your shoes and walk for eight weeks onto sacred ground as you study the Hebrew names of God. Unearth the depth of His love, the strength of His open arms, and the everlasting mercy of His cross.
It is in the darkest hours of unbelief and facing the unthinkable, when you can hear His still small voice. Lean in, my friend, take your shoes off, and rest in the vastness of your Father’s love. The Lord is calling your heart to be still and know Him.
The Great I Am, Knowing God By Name is an 8 week in-depth Bible study on the Hebrew names of God. This study is designed for 5 days of homework. Each day will take approximately 30-45 minutes or longer depending how you interact with the material. Each day includes insights and scripture references for further study. Each week you have plenty of room to journal and take additional notes.”
For more information or to purchase your copy of The Great I Am, Knowing God by Name over at my shop: