Take off Your Shoes...

There are two places in Bible when God has asked someone to take off their shoes because where they stood was holy. Both on Thursday night, a guest minister, and on today, my pastor each used one of these scriptures. My pastor (check out http://www.faicm.org/) today shared with us that the holy ground marked a place of victory and a place of prosperity and abundance.

I asked God to show me what he was saying to me through taking off my shoes upon standing on holy ground. The response I heard was this, "Be still and know that I am God." I didn't understand it at all at first, and asked God again what He was speaking to me through these scriptures. Again, I heard, "Be still and know that I am God."

I thought about it for a minute, mostly thinking on the purpose of shoes. Though barefoot running is coming back in style, most people wouldn't dream of walking out of their home without shoes (if they can help it). The last thing I do when preparing to leave is putting on my shoes. Shoes signify movement or preparing to go somewhere.

So when God was telling me to be still and know, I really believe He was telling me take off my shoes, stand in this place of knowing Him- this place is holy.

It's easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle. It's even easier to get caught up in just life. One thing happens, and then another thing, and then you have to take care of something else. And your 8 a.m. day time start on what you really need to be doing turns into a 6 p.m. start.

Take off your shoes. Be still and know.

I know that I am in a season of some turning points. These turning points are bringing me into my place of victory and also into my place of abundance.

But right now Lord, my shoes are off and I will be still and know...

Treasure

Life is funny in that there are times that you can seem to know exactly what you need to do to get things done. The energy is there, the drive is there, the desire is there, and the resources are there. But what do you do in the times when you aren't quite sure what to do, what to pray, don't have a sense of how things are going to happen, simply feeling drained, or not knowing where the resources are coming from? And why do these times seem to come when you need the answers the most?

I thought about the man who sold all His possessions to buy a field because it had a treasure in it. As I read this scripture in Matthew 13, another scripture jumped out at me in verse 16, "But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear. " In the times when we really don't seem to know what to do, we need to declare this over ourself...blessed are our eyes because they see the vision....blessed are our ears because they hear the answers.

Back now to the man with the field...
1) He found the treasure
2) Got excited about it and decided it was worth having no matter what the cost
3) Sold all his stuff to buy the field
4) Bought the field so that the treasure would be rightfully his

It's work to find the hidden treasure and once we do find it, it requires us to make a choice - how bad do we want that treasure? We find hidden treasure in prayer, in spiritual growth, in the Word of God, but even then we have to make a choice - how bad do we want it? It's work to have spiritual disciplines. It's work to fast, to pray, to live Christlike...but I'm starting to believe it's not enough to stay just there. How bad do we want this treasure? This man sold all he had to buy the field. It cost Him everything. I can imagine a conversation this man had with his family...

Family Member: You're about to sell all your stuff to buy a field?!? You already have a great house!

Man: But there's something in this field I need...

Family Member: Well, why don't you get another job and save your money...I mean your training in your field was exceptional, I am sure you can save enough money to buy it and keep your stuff too...you just seem a little too eager to be getting this field

Man: No, the cost is great and it will take me years to save that kind of money. Something is telling me that I have to have it now...

Family Member: Well, I think it's crazy...don't ask me to stay here when your field floods...

How bad do we want the treasure God has for us? When we realize how great and how exciting it is I believe the enemy tries to make us wonder if this is the field we should really have. We wonder if this treasure is all its cracked up to be..."I mean there are probably a thousand other fields that have better treasure on them." So we wait for another field or do nothing more at all. And sometimes obstacles come that try to keep us from "making enough money." So we are never able to buy it - and that treasure we found is never rightfully ours.

I am changing the subject abruptly, but I'll come back....Bartering is such a great way to get things you don't have, or to get something that's of worth for something you don't consider valuable or as valuable anymore. So why do we find it so hard to trade our sorrows for joy, or our fear for love, or even our doubt for faith? Why is it so difficult to let go of the hindrances, the hurt, the pain, and the scars? When God asks us in Isaiah 55 why we buy bread that doesn't fill us, or labor without satisfaction, I really believe He is asking us, "why don't you want to spend your money to get this field? - that's where the treasure is."

As I finish this post - it doesn't feel finished. I still don't know exactly what to do. I feel overwhelmed by a lot of things and unsure about even more. But, more than ever I am realizing that my true heart's desire is not to just see the treasure in the field - I want it.