Standing on Holy Ground

Standing on Holy Ground

Then He said, “Do not come near here; remove your sandals from your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.”  (Exodus 3:5 – NASB)

Two people enjoying time together? Looks like Holy Ground to me.

When we read the account of Moses standing on Holy Ground and being told to take the shoes from off his feet, we are captivated by the dramatic scene and wish, perhaps we could have and experience like that.

I think we are missing the point.

Holy ground is all around us.

There may not be a burning bush and we may not hear God’s voice emanating from it. We nevertheless encounter many situations in life that should cause us to tread carefully; they are just as much Holy Ground as that on which Moses trod. We come across these situations and carelessly pass them by; we do not recognize them as a sacred trust God has brought our way. We are being given an opportunity to respond with compassion, and demonstrate the Love of Christ in them. They, however just seem like the common occurrences of life and we don’t realize they are holy ground to God.

• Two friends enjoying time together
• A friend suffering from depression
• A pregnant teen
• A wayward son or daughter

I don’t think I have to make the list any longer. Each of us come across people suffering varied forms of trouble and anguish. All we need to do is recognize them as Holy Ground, and respond accordingly.

Holy Ground

(6th June 1992)

Then He said, “Do not come near here; remove your sandals from your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.”  (Exodus 3:5 – NASB)

I envied Moses as He stood

On Holy Ground back then

And heard the voice of God Most High —

Most privileged of men.

“Why can’t I stand like Moses on

The ground of Holy kind,

And hear the voice of God breathe out

His Words into my mind.”

Such were my thoughts, such my complaint,

In holy reverence prayed,

Whenever I bowed my head to seek

The pathway Christ had made.

And soon the answer sounded forth

Upon my inner ear:

The still small voice of God that said,

“Come listen! Come and hear!

“The Holy Ground of Scripture lies

Within your view, my child.

Take off the shoes of careless thought

Lest Truth be soiled – defiled.

“And then there is the Holy Ground

Of foreign missions, see,

A precious tract of land to Christ

Who said, ‘Come unto me.’

“Tread softly, Christian, on the ground

Where lost souls’ feet have trod.

Take now the shoes from off your feet —

It is Holy Ground to God.

“Where ever you look, both far and near,

You find some holy place.

What’s common ground to careless souls

May be the ground of Grace.

“Perhaps it is your brother’s need,

His mountain of distress,

That you conceive as nothing more

Than mild unhappiness.

It is Holy Ground, don’t dare to walk

Across your brother’s need,

Till Faith and Love have filled your heart,

And Mercy has agreed.”

This image is in the public domain.
Please visit My website: www.christophershennan.ca
My blog: https://christophershennan.wordpress.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/CNShennan
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ChristopherShennanAuthor

Hidden Treasure

(Picture credits at end of post)

Hidden Treasure

 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels… (2 Corinthians 4:7 – NASB)

“This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you. (John 15:12 – NASB)

Few searches for hidden treasure have a more fascinating or tragic history that that of Oak Island on the south shore of Nova Scotia, Canada. The costly and futile search for treasure, resulting in loss of life and shattered dreams, over more than two hundred years, continues even today. Oak Island surely has few parallels in the history of man’s lust for gold. There is no space to tell the story here, but those interested can follow it at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oak_Island

The story of Oak Island, however, has value as a parable of seeking treasure in the wrong places. I put it to you that there are treasures all around us that most eyes are too blind to see. I speak of the people with whom we rub shoulders with every day. The value of one human soul would have been enough for Jesus to shed his blood on the cross to redeem that one soul.

If we would take the time to invest our lives in people in Christ’s name, we would discover treasure beyond our wildest imaginings; we would discover not only how much God loves people, but also how much love God will give to those who dare to love people the way He does.eH

The diamond mines of Kimberly, South Africa, were discovered when a farmer found his neighbour’s children playing marbles with some “stones” they had gathered from the ground.

The children had no idea of the wealth in diamonds they were holding in their hands, and banging one against another in a game of marbles.

God wants us to stop considering people (for whom Christ died) as mere pieces to be manipulated in the game of life. He wants us to see them as the treasures they really are, worth investing everything we have to bring them to God.

I was Blind

(© Sunday 30^th November 2014 – by Christopher Shennan)

But we have this treasure in earthen vessels… (2 Corinthians 4:7 – NASB)

I was blind.

At least, my eyes could only see

Those treasures that would last for time;

I longed for them and gave my all

In the hope they’d someday – be mine.

I was blind.

I could not see the treasure in

The ones who walked beside me;

I took them all for granted then,

And had no true love to guide me.

I’m not blind anymore…

For Christ has touched my eyes and made

Me see His treasures all around;

They’re the people who cross my path,

And these treasures – at last – I’ve found.

Check out my books at My website: http://www.christophershennan.ca
Twitter: https://twitter.com/CNShennan
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ChristopherShennanAuthor

Oak Island, created by NormanEinstein. Copyright. Used under the

CC BY-SA 3.0 (note the disclaimer) and GNU Free Documentation License 1.2   No changes were made to the image.

Treasure of Villena, uploaded by Qoan, here (note that author is unknown.) Image is copyright. Used under the

CC BY-SA 3.0 license (see Disclaimer at this link.) No changes were made to this photo. Also used under the
GNU Free Documentation License 1.2