Barefoot Or Sandals?

In many churches it is customary to take off your shoes.

If you ever visit the St. Finian (FIHN-iy-ahN) Orthodox Abbey in El Paso TX, you will see a sign that states –

Welcome, Please Remove Your Shoes,

“For the place where upon thou standest is Holy Ground”

That would be true of many Eastern Orthodox Churches as well.

What is odd in some respects is that in many mainline Protestant Churches (Baptist, Methodist, Episcopal, Nazarene, Assembly of God etc…) you would get a rather odd look if you took your shoes off before coming into church. Going shoeless or going barefoot is seen as a sign of disrespect in most of our churches in the United States.

But let’s get back to Moses and Joshua. All the reasons I stated above apply to them. They were showing their respect, their humility but more than anything their consecration; their surrender.

Both men were warriors. Moses had been taught the art of war while he was living in Egypt. As a part of the royal family he would have been an expert at how to fight a battle. Therefore he knew firsthand the importance of wearing adequate footwear. And as a shepherd he would have know the importance of wearing adequate footwear.

Joshua was the same. We see over and over again that this young man was not just an assistant to Moses but that he was the leader of Israel’s army. He knew all too well the importance of wearing proper footwear. And he knew the need to have it on at the proper time.

+Both men by taking off their shoes were surrendering themselves before the LORD.

+Both men by taking off their shoes were putting aside their agendas and spending time in God’s presence.

+Both men were putting themselves under God’s protection and care.

+Both men were publicly making a statement that they would listen and obey whatever God was saying.

In that light, it would be good for us to take some time and take off our shoes and place them before the LORD. It might seem like a silly thing to do to go and grab your shoes or your boots and put them before you as you read God’s Word or spend some time in prayer. But in many ways it would not be silly.

It would be a concrete way for each one of us to make a statement to the LORD that He is Our King. That He is Our Savior. It would be a way for us tell the LORD that we totally surrender everything to the LORD. It would be a way to show our humility, our dedication and our consecration.

What Moses and Joshua did here was a very powerful symbol. The Bible is full of these kinds of symbols. In a few moments we will take communion and it too is both a means of grace and powerful symbol. Holy Communion is a powerful symbol of God’s ultimate Love and Grace.

So, I challenge you at some time to take your shoes off and place them before the Lord as you read the Bible, as your worship and pray. Join Moses and Joshua and humble yourself, giving God total respect and say by doing so –

“Lord, as I give you my shoes I give you myself to You and will depend on You for protection. Lord I give You my time as I now sit and worship at your feet. You are My Savior and LORD.”