No Shoes

No Shoes
Dedicated to Diana (Sloan) Coombes
Exodus 3:1-5

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Moses and Joshua had a common experience with respect to their being called by God. Both of them were drawn aside from their original intentions by a supernatural phenomenon (Moses by the burning bush, Joshua by a theophany – Christophany?), and upon facing what had grabbed their attention, were told to remove their shoes “for the ground on which you are standing is holy.” Our personal call to service may not be as dramatic or obvious, but nevertheless there is a requirement of reverence in accepting that call: a personal ministry, after all, is a sacred trust from God.

Sometimes a humorous episode turns into a clue for a song. One evening we were walking up to the risers to sing, and as we negotiated the platform steps one of Diana’s shoes decided to stay behind. Diana, however, was the picture of poise, and just kept on walking as if nothing had happened (of course, we had to retrieve the shoe later).

Moses on the mountain, tending sheep,
Saw a bush aflame,
He turned aside to see what it could be
And the Lord called him by name.
He said,

“Take off your shoes and bow before Me,
I claim you as My own,
You’re called to lead My children into
The promised land – to their new home!”

Joshua on the plains of Jericho
Saw a man with a sword,
He asked him what his allegiance was,
And he said, ‘I’m the captain of the Lord.’
He said,

So, with Joshua and Moses, accept the call
To follow Christ today,
To set an example for the children of God
And to lead them in His way.
He said,

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