Family Alive

Brian, Kristine, Analise, and Josiah Toone

This is Holy Ground

31st August 2007

A man named Moses was tending his sheep in the land of Midian when he comes upon a burning bush.  He moves closer to see more and hears the voice of God, speaking to him about his people and their need to be delivered from the land of Egypt.  God tells Moses to take off his sandals, for the ground he is standing on is holy.  Moses has been tending sheep in this region for forty years.  How many times has he passed by this spot?  How many times has he stood in this exact place?  And now God tells him the ground is holy?

Has the ground been holy and Moses is just becoming aware of it for the first time?

Do you and I walk on holy ground all the time, but we are moving so fast and returning so many calls and writing so many emails and having such long lists to get done that we miss it?

Remember Jacob’s words after his dream?  (Genesis 28:10-17)

"God is in this place, and I wasn’t aware of it."

(from Velvet Elvis by Rob Bell, movement 3 "True")

As mundane/tiring/overwhelming/frustrating my life seems to be at times, this is holy ground. 

Laying with Analise as she lays down for her nap, sucking her thumb, rubbing my arm, drifting off to sleep.

Sweeping the kitchen floor for the 8th time in a day, cleaning off the high chair for the 4th time in a day, picking up puzzle pieces/legos/blocks/train tracks at the end of the day.

Watching Analise’s beginner ballet class with Josiah giggling, hanging on my leg.

Holding Josiah close at 4am when he’s woken for the 3rd time.

Struggling to wake up with early-bird kids at 6:15am after Josiah’s been awake over and over again.

Watching Analise and Josiah romp on the couch, praying they don’t fall off and land on their heads.

Folding laundry, putting towels away, sorting socks for my sweet family.

God is in this place, and I am frequently unaware of it.  It’s up to me to realize He’s here in each moment with me and to see these everyday experiences as holy.  When I do, it lifts my mind from being immersed in the boring of my life to looking up to His holiness. 

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