“When the LORD saw that he turned aside to see, God called to him out of the bush, ‘Moses, Moses!’ And he said, ‘Here I am.’ Then he said, ‘Do not come near; take your sandals off your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.’” – Exodus 3:4–5 (ESV)
🔥 The Voice from the Bush
Moses wasn’t in a temple when God spoke. He wasn’t fasting, worshiping, or offering a sacrifice. He was watching sheep in the wilderness—when suddenly, a bush burned without being consumed.
It wasn’t the bush that made the ground holy. It was the presence of the Voice. Wherever God speaks becomes sacred space.
When Moses turned aside to look, God spoke his name. And everything changed.
🩴 Take Off Your Sandals
God’s first instruction wasn’t a command to go to Pharaoh. It was a command to pause—to remove his sandals. Sandals represented dirt, journey, sweat, and dust. God was saying: “You’ve stepped into something different now.”
Sometimes before God sends us, He stills us. Before He gives us the next assignment, He invites us to acknowledge His presence.
📍 Where Is Holy Ground?
We often think God only speaks in churches or quiet morning devotions. But Moses heard God’s voice on a mountainside in Midian, with no choir, no scrolls, and no temple.
God speaks in ordinary places—because He turns them into holy places. A desert becomes a sanctuary when God is there.
- He spoke to Hagar beside a spring in the wilderness (Genesis 16).
- He met Jacob at a rock pillow in the middle of nowhere (Genesis 28).
- He visited Elijah in a cave with a still small voice (1 Kings 19).
We don’t need a perfect setting to hear from God—we need a responsive heart.
📣 What This Means for Us Today
1. God Still Speaks in the Wilderness
Your dry season might be the place where God reveals Himself most clearly. Don’t despise the wilderness—it might be where God’s voice breaks through.
2. The Ordinary Becomes Holy When God Is Present
A kitchen table, a car ride, a hospital room—these can all become altars. Where God speaks, the ground becomes holy.
3. Sometimes the Call Begins with Stillness
Before we’re ready to go, we must learn to pause. Reverence comes before assignment. Worship before action.
🪞 Reflection and Application
- Where is God inviting me to “turn aside” and pay attention?
- Have I been rushing through holy moments, missing sacred ground?
- What ordinary space in my life might God want to make holy?
🛐 Prayer
Lord, help me recognize the places where You are speaking. Give me eyes to see the burning bush moments in the middle of my routine. I remove my sandals—I pause, I honor, I listen. Make my heart holy ground. In Jesus’ name, amen.
📌 Coming Up Next
The Voice in the Garden — Genesis 3:8
What did God’s voice sound like before the fall? In the next post, we return to Eden, where the voice of the Lord walked in the garden—not to judge, but to fellowship. And we’ll see how that voice still seeks us today.