Holy Ground

Twice in the Bible, major characters are told to take off their shoes since they are standing on holy ground. One such occasion is found in Exodus 3 where Moses encounters God in a burning bush. The other time is when Joshua is preparing to take Jericho and he is met by a man with a sword (Joshua 5:13-15). When he asks the mysterious stranger if he is "for us or against us," the man replies, "No, I am commander of the army of Yahweh."  We should remember this story every time we are tempted to say, "The Lord is on our side."

Holy Ground (2008) (11 1/2" x 10 3/8" x 1 3/4")

diptych: paper collage and modified shoe mold in wooden box

I had always thought the reason Moses and Joshua were told to take off their shoes was as a sign of respect to God. One commentator suggested another reason that seems to make sense to me--by taking off their shoes they could come into more direct contact with God's presence. Something to think about.