Holy Ground

When people think of holiness, they often think of something that is other. It is something that is pure and undefiled.

When people see the holiness of God, they think of themselves as being unholy, unclean. Isaiah called himself “a man of unclean lips” in the holy presence of God.

Therefore, we think of our interactions with something holy as that which can possibly taint and pollute that which is holy and pure.

When Moses saw the burning bush and realized this was not your everyday desert combustion, on seeking to look closer God called to him and, when Moses responded, said, “Do not draw near this place. Take your sandals off your feet, for the place where you stand is holy ground” (Exodus 3:5).

This is fascinating because on the one hand Moses is not to get any closer, and on the other hand he is already in a place that is holy. It gets better.

God tells him to “Take your sandals off.” If he takes his shoes off and then stands where he is, his physical body now makes more physical contact with the holy ground.

God wants us to make contact with that which is holy. We don't pollute it; it purifies us.

To Jesus, physical contact was important. He showed his disciples his pierced hands and side (John 20:20). When one of them missed this appearance he declared he wanted to believe with his hands, and when Jesus appeared eight days later, he had him do exactly that.

To those who believe in Jesus, one day we, too, will be able to make physical contact with a holy Jesus. I'm looking forward to that embrace.