Last week as we worshipped we were led into a beautiful extended silence and as we sat in God’s presence I felt God ask me: why are you bringing your haste with you into my presence?
My life is often full of haste but I had this strong conviction I didn’t want to bring that into the presence of God with me. Because if I did I would bring my own vision of God and his kingdom, my own vision of the right timings, rather than coming to him and letting him reveal himself and his will to me.
As I reflected on this, I realised God has been speaking to me about slowing down with him in various ways - about not rushing time with him. And I found myself reflecting on Moses’ encounter with God at the burning bush (Exodus 3).
This encounter happens whilst Moses is going about his daily life as a shepherd. He is tending his flock when an angel of the Lord appeared and made God’s presence visible to Moses in a tree that was on fire but not burning up. The fire catches Moses’ attention and he begins to draw near to it. As he does he hears God calling him by name. But before he can draw any closer God tells Moses to take off his sandals for he is on holy ground.
Yes as a sign of respect and reverence but for 2 other reasons too. Firstly, Moses is told to take off his sandals because they are dirty. He is a shepherd and so they would have been covered in all kinds of dirt on them. But the dirt of the world does not belong in this holy space. Moses turned away from his business as usual, including taking off his dirty sandals, leaving the signs of the world outside so that he can come into the holy place. He takes off his sandals so that God can do His transformation.
But I wonder also whether God told him to remove his shoes so would not go anywhere. So he wouldn’t rush off, but stay in this holy place, stay in this place of encounter.
It is a holy place because God’s presence is there. God is inviting Moses into this holy place but he has a choice to make in order to draw near, to take off his sandals.
We too are invited to draw close, to be in God’s presence and be transformed, but we have to make a choice - to take off our sandals and trust God’s wisdom and command rather than our own strength and own way.
Why do we seek God’s presence? In part the answer is simple: we desire to be in God’s presence because that is where God is - and we want to be with Him.
Are we hearing the Holy Spirit inviting us to draw close to God? Hear the Father calling our name? But what are we bringing with us? What is stuck on the bottom of our sandals? Distraction? Haste and hurry? Our own agenda? Resentment? Unforgiveness? Pride? We long to come into the presence of God and be transformed - but that is a purifying place - what do we need to leave behind so that we can fully enter in?
We seek God’s presence for He is there and in His presence we are transformed. In His presence we hear Him calling our name and listen as He reveals who He is. Our cry in this holy place is: teach me your ways Lord, show me the way You love, make my heart grow more and more in love with you. As we do this we discover and learn to walk in God’s way, at His pace - to not let the haste of the world lead us, but instead be led by the Holy Spirit, to dwell in God’s presence and be obedient to where He calls us.
Revd Miriam Thurlow Curate