How can we "remove our sandals" in reverence in daily life? The Original Call to Bare Feet “ ‘Do not come any closer,’ God said. ‘Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.’ ” (Exodus 3:5) Why the Sandals Came Off • Sandals carried dust—symbols of the everyday world that had no place before God’s blazing holiness. • Removing them was an outward sign of inward humility (cf. Joshua 5:15). • The act communicated, “All of me is exposed and yielded to You.” What ‘Removing Sandals’ Looks Like Today 1. Conscious Awareness • Begin each morning acknowledging, “This day is Your holy ground” (Psalm 5:3). • Whisper a verse—“In Him we live and move and have our being” (Acts 17:28). 2. Immediate Repentance • Treat every prompting of conviction as a cue to stop, confess, and be cleansed (1 John 1:9). • Sin is the modern gravel caught in our soles; shake it off quickly (Hebrews 12:1). 3. Reverent Speech • Guard your words the way priests guarded incense (Ecclesiastes 5:2). • Refuse sarcasm, coarse jokes, or gossip—verbal “mud” that soils holy ground (Ephesians 4:29). 4. Set-Apart Moments • Establish a “burning-bush chair” or corner where phones stay outside and Scripture stays open (Luke 10:39). • Light a candle or play quiet worship to signal, “Shoes off—God is here.” 5. Quiet Obedience • When the Spirit nudges—send a text, give, apologize—act immediately (John 14:21). • Obedience is the soundless step of bare feet. 6. Sabbath-Style Margin • Reserve at least a slice of each week for rest and reflection (Exodus 20:8-10). • Rest says, “God, You run the universe; I can unlace my striving.” 7. Physical Posture • Kneel, bow your head, or even remove literal shoes during prayer to reinforce inward surrender (Psalm 95:6). Common Ways We Keep Our Shoes On • Multitasking devotion—Bible open, notifications pinging. • Harboring private sins that “stick to the soles” (Psalm 66:18). • Treating worship gatherings as casual social events (Hebrews 12:28-29). Practical Checklist for Each Day ☐ Acknowledge God’s presence before checking a screen. ☐ Read or recite at least one verse aloud. ☐ Confess known sin immediately. ☐ Speak to others with gentleness and integrity. ☐ Carve out at least five uninterrupted minutes of stillness. ☐ Respond instantly to any Spirit-prompted act of love or service. The Promise for the Barefooted Heart “Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you” (James 4:8). As we live barefoot before Him—clean, humble, and attentive—He makes every ordinary floor a place of holy ground. |
    |