Holy Ground, Bare Feet
Exodus 19:6 (CEB) · The Good Life
“You will be a kingdom of priests for me and a holy nation. These are the words you should say to the Israelites.” – Exodus 19:6 (CEB)
An open door does not erase awe. Israel camped in front of a mountain that smoked and trembled, and God called them a holy nation. Holy means set apart, charged with weight, not ordinary.
Sometimes we resist God’s welcome because we sense that awe. We feel the holiness and assume it means keep your distance. But notice what God does with the holiness. God does not use it to push the people back. God hands it to them: you will be holy, a kingdom of priests. The reverence is real, and so is the invitation. You do not have to choose between standing in awe and being welcomed in. The God of the mountain is holy enough to be feared and gracious enough to call you near. Bare feet and an open door belong together.
Can reverence and welcome live together in the way you approach God?
Holy God, you are greater than we can grasp and nearer than we dare hope. Teach us to come with reverence and confidence, both at once. In Jesus’ name. Amen.