Holy Ground

"Do not come any closer," God said. "Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground." Exodus 3:5 (NIV)

 

This verse is great theater. We can imagine the thundering voice, Moses cowering and vast wilderness – barren and dry. Awesome and scary at the same time. Glad it happened to Moses and not me.

 

But is that true? "Holy" means to be set aside for God's purposes. When we are baptized, we enter into Holy Baptism. In other words, we become the holy ground set aside for God's good purpose. But just like Sinai, we can be a barren piece of human real estate or the fertile ground of God's good favor. It is up to us. God made the first move in claiming us, even when we rejected him and his son. Baptism is all about what will be our response.

 

Baptism is a moment in time that has lifelong implications – if we trust we are holy. Many people approach baptism as some kind d of godly magic – a heavenly insurance policy or rabbit's foot. It is no such thing. Baptism is an invitation to make every day an eternal event. Don't squander your baptism. Live it. You are Holy.

 

• Will I believe that every place I travel today will be holy because God is there using me?

 

• How will God change the arena of my work, leisure and routine as I make each new place holy?

 

• Will others be blessed by the holy ground I inhabit?