It was recently brought to my attention that I had not posted on my blog in almost three months. Frankly, I have not had anything to say, nothing that I wanted to put down in any formal way. That made me think. I got to thinking about why I started this blog and how I came up with the name - which I thought was pretty cool - so I am reposting a combination of two entries from when I first started this blog as a reminder to myself of where I want to be...
I'm taking off my shoes...
What a weird url for a blog! There is some history to it. I have come across a quote from Elizabeth Barrett Browning about being with God:
“Earth’s crammed with heaven,
And every common bush afire with God;
But only he who sees takes off his shoes;
The rest sit round it and pluck blackberries.”
-Elizabeth Barrett Browning
I have found myself thinking a lot about that this morning and what it means. In the Old Testament, God presented Himself to the Israelites as a pillar of smoke by day and a pillar of fire by night so that He could be seen and easily followed. God appeared to Moses in the infamous burning bush setting, and Moses was told to remove his sandals because he was standing on holy ground. He was barefoot before the Lord.
I like the idea of being barefoot before the Lord. Moses was barefoot before the Lord as a sign of respect for His Holiness, but I also think that it was something more. Being barefoot removes some of the extra trappings that wind up being a hindrance to our knowing Him more. We are exposed.
I want to relax with the Lord, know Him intimately, and grow in that love.
I want to take off my shoes and run around barefoot with my God.
I love this quote from EBB, Mary. Taking off your shoes has so many connotations. You hit it exactly, from honoring His holiness to being so comfortable with God that there is nothing between us. One other thought comes to my mind, and this may seem silly. I think we need to be connected to creation, and being barefoot just is a palpable way to do that. We have lived close to the earth, out in the country, among farmers and woodsmen; and we have lived in the city, where people contemplate the asphalt. I just think living "barefoot" before the Lord is easier for me when I am surrounded by His fingerprints. God is good...and His mercies are new every morning.
ReplyDeleteSounds like a plan!
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