Spiritually Barefoot
I grew up knowing and expecting to take off my shoes each time I entered a home, whether it was our own or someone else's. I was raised to never walk with shoes on past a few feet into an entryway and the thought of even having shoes on while walking on carpet, well that to me, was a big NO-NO in my mind. I couldn't (and can't) even comprehend how that is even possible in people's reality. Carpet and outdoor shoes together?! My whole existence would shatter seeing that happen.
Joking aside, it really is funny to look back at something as simple as taking off one's shoes when entering a home and it revealing something greater beyond that learned behavior. Taking off my shoes not only was something my parents taught me to do because of our culture, but it was something that represented a belief system that was never communicated, yet was understood: our home was a place to be respected and honored. We did that by taking off the one thing that represented our connection to the outside world - our shoes.
It was one way we kept our home clean.
It made sense.
It seemed intuitive.
It became a way of living - no questions asked.
A few weeks ago I had a series of thoughts that ran through my mind after attending a service where the Pastor spoke about the moment Moses met with God. In Exodus 3:1-4, Moses is going through his normal routine of shepherding his father-in-law's flock in the wilderness. During this time he sees something strange off in the distance and goes closer to observe a burning bush that isn't being consumed by its flames. God ends up speaking to Moses through the flames and in verse 5 following Moses' curiosity and contact, God commands him to "not come any closer" and "take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground."
I've heard and read this passage a few times before but something clicked differently in me that moment I heard the Pastor speak about this moment between Moses and God. The thought that ran through my mind was, "Why would God ask Moses to take off his shoes? If God is everywhere and present in everything, what is the designated boundary line where it is deemed more holy to be told to take off one's shoe?"
Also, why would God need to tell Moses that unless Moses didn't recognize that where he was standing, even in the middle of nowhere, was a holy space because God was now present? It made me wonder why taking off his sandals was even a thing. Why the sandals/shoes? Of all things to request Moses to do in the presence of God, why was the request to take them off? Why not ask Moses to take a rinse in the river to be clean enough after working in the wilderness with the animals all day? Being clean seems more in line with being on holy ground. What seems like a small action, like taking off one's shoe in the case of Moses, or me in any house that I goes in to this day, actually represents and holds meaning beyond the words themselves.
Then it all started tying together the more I pondered on the sandal/shoe thing.
In that moment God revealed the reasons why the sandals really had to come off...
It was to feel.
It was to be.
To Honor
Just like taking off our shoes when entering our own home or someone else's, the act is an expression of honor and respect to those living inside the home, even if they don't require you to. The home represents safety, security, and surrender. It is a place you can go to and settle in. It is a sacred space that houses lives that depend on it. God's presence is our spiritual home. Being with God, experiencing our connection and closeness to Him, requires us to take off our "mental, and emotional shoes", the ones that we use to protect ourselves from being outside in our human experience, and to rest in what feels like home. God wants us to remove what we use to cover ourselves from the elements of the world and to step into his presence "mentally and emotionally barefoot."
To Feel
When we remove our shoes, we allow ourselves to have a different sensory experience. We are no longer covered with what we consider protection or comfort. We are in full contact with what we step on. God wants us to feel his holy presence, his spirit, in its fullest potential. To be barefoot in God's presence is to feel every spiritual step, every emotional experience and every thought process through the eyes and heart of His ways. In some moments, feelings of comfort, peace, and gratitude is your experience. In others, feelings of grief, dissapointment, and suffering become your reality. In either moments of the walk, the one thing that is consistent is that the level in which you feel these emotions are elevated. You can't go through this human experience with God without feeling everything with more depth, appreciation and consciousness. You are no longer numb, disconnected or unaware of what you are walking through.
To Be
There's no greater feeling than taking off your shoes and subconsciously sending yourself a cue to relax, settle in, let go and just be. Being in the presence of God is exactly like this. There's an invitation that isn't outwardly said, but is known inwardly inside your heart, mind and soul, that once you get into God's presence, you can just...be. You can just be you. No filters, no peacocking, no nonsense. You can just be you. You can be imperfect. You can be insecure. You can just be the you that is in the mix-matched comfy shirt and pants, no make-up, barefoot version of yourself. You can also show up confident, feeling like life is great and all is good. Regardless of how you enter in union with God and his presence, the most important thing to remember is that you get to spend time with God. You get to be in his divine presence and being close to Him, being connected with what feels like home, is all that matters.
To be told to take off your comfort, your guard, your ways and walk barefoot through life is a big request. It requires more than just trusting God and assuming the path He takes you down is prepared like a modern day children's playground that is made up with recycled rubber.
It requires you to step with eyes that see and ears that hear - with vision and active listening.
It requires you to step mindfully - with wisdom and knowledge.
It requires you to step intentionally - with purpose and stability.
Walking barefoot with God is a privilege.
Being close to God where it is so clear that He is directing you steps is an experience that makes you move through life with such depth, texture, and contrast is available through one's faith. It is a spiritual, emotional, and multi-sensory experience that you can only get by walking barefoot with Him. It requires you to take off what gets in the way of feeling, being and honoring God. So take off your pride. Take off you shame. Take off your guilt. Take off the past. Take off your fear. Take whatever it is that has carried you to survive the elements of this world off and take a moment to rest and find comfort in being barefoot with God.
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