Exodus 3:1-6: a reflection

1Now Moses was keeping the flock of Jethro, his father-in-law, the priest of Midian, and he led the flock to the back of the wilderness, and came to God’s mountain, to Horeb. 2The LORD’s angel appeared to him in a flame of fire out of the middle of a bush. He looked, and behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed. 3Moses said, “I will go now, and see this great sight, why the bush is not burned.” 4When the LORD saw that he came over to see, God called to him out of the middle of the bush, and said, “Moses! Moses!” He said, “Here I am.” 5He said, “Don’t come close. Take off your sandals, for the place you are standing on is holy ground.” 6Moreover he said, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” Moses hid his face because he was afraid to look at God.

As Moses tends his flock in the wilderness, he comes upon a bush that burns without being consumed, and turns aside to see it. There God speaks to him, and the first thing he says is: Don't come close. Take off your sandals, for the place you are standing on is holy ground. An ordinary patch of wilderness, where Moses had led his sheep, was made holy ground by the presence of God; and the right response was reverence: to remove his sandals, and, as we read, to hide his face, afraid to look at God. The presence of God called for reverence.

Notice what made the ground holy, and how Moses responded. The ground was not holy in itself; it was an ordinary place in the wilderness. What made it holy was the presence of God; where God was, the ordinary ground became holy. And the right response to that holy presence was reverence: Moses removed his sandals and hid his face, aware that he stood before the holy God. He did not approach casually; the presence of God called forth awe and reverence. The holiness was God's, and it demanded reverence from Moses.

That reverence before the presence of God is worth cultivating, for we can approach God casually, forgetting his holiness. We can come before God, in prayer or worship, casually, carelessly, as though his presence were an ordinary thing; but Moses, before the holy presence of God, removed his sandals and hid his face in reverence. The God we approach is holy, and his presence calls for reverence, not casualness. Do not approach God carelessly, forgetting his holiness; come before him with reverence, aware that you stand before the holy God, as Moses removed his sandals on holy ground. Let the presence of God call forth awe and reverence in you, rather than a casual familiarity; for the God you come before is holy, and where he is, is holy ground, calling for the reverence Moses showed when he removed his sandals and hid his face before the holy presence of God.

Lord, as Moses tended his flock in the wilderness, he came upon a bush that burned without being consumed, and turned aside to see it. There you spoke to him, and the first thing you said was: don't come close; take off your sandals, for the place you are standing on is holy ground. An ordinary patch of wilderness was made holy ground by your presence; and the right response was reverence: to remove his sandals, and to hide his face, afraid to look at you. Show me what made the ground holy, and how Moses responded. The ground was not holy in itself; what made it holy was your presence. And the right response was reverence: Moses removed his sandals and hid his face, aware that he stood before you, the holy God. He did not approach casually; your presence called forth awe. The holiness was yours, and it demanded reverence. Help me cultivate that reverence before your presence, for I can approach you casually, forgetting your holiness. I can come before you, in prayer or worship, carelessly, as though your presence were an ordinary thing; but Moses, before your holy presence, removed his sandals and hid his face. The God I approach is holy, and your presence calls for reverence, not casualness. Keep me from approaching you carelessly, forgetting your holiness; help me come before you with reverence, Lord, aware that I stand before the holy God. Let your presence call forth awe and reverence in me, rather than a casual familiarity.