• The chapter is called “Serving Leftovers to a Holy God.”  Ouchy.
• God doesn’t just want us to have good theology; He wants us to know and love Him.  (As is often said, it’s all about the relationship, not the religion.)
• Matthew 28:18-20 [The Great Commission] ¹⁹Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in^[a] the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Some people claim that we can be Christians without necessarily becoming disciples.  I wonder, then, why the last thing Jesus told us was to go into the world, making disciples of all nations, teaching them to obey all that He commanded?  You’ll notice that He didn’t add, “But hey, if that’s too much to ask, tell them to just become Christians – you know, the people who get to go to Heaven without having to commit to anything.”
• Each of us has lukewarm elements and practices in our life; therein lies the senseless, extravagant grace of it all.
• How many of us would really leave our families, our jobs, our education, our friends, our connections, our familiar surroundings, and our homes if Jesus asked us to?  If He just showed up and said, “Follow me”?  No explanation.  No direction.  When you think about His disciples in that way, well, WOW…
• Many of us believe we have as much of God as we want right now, a reasonable portion of God among all the other things in our lives….But the fact is that nothing should concern us more than our relationship with God; it’s about eternity, and nothing compares with that.

And that is the theme of the next chapter of Francis Chan’s Crazy Love.  Some quotes that I loved from the third chapter:

• How could I not trust a heavenly, perfect Father who loves me infinitely more than I will ever love my kids?  (Do I really trust Him?  When bad things happen?  When I don’t understand?  Do I, really?)
• Over time I realized that when we love God, we naturally run to Him – frequently and zealously….The results are intimate prayer and study of His Word.  Our motivation changes from guilt to love.
• The very fact that a holy, eternal, all-knowing, all-powerful, merciful, fair, and just God loves you and me is nothing short of astonishing.  (It really is, isn’t it?  Wow.)
• Love this one… The irony is that while God doesn’t need us but still wants us, we desperately need God but don’t really want Him most of the time.  He treasures us and anticipates our departure from this earth to be with Him – and wonder, indifferently, how much we have to do for Him to get by.  (Let that one marinate for a bit…It’s powerful.)
• Are we in love with God or just His stuff?
• I love you…just you.  Can you say that to God?
• Our love for Him always comes out of His love for us.  (Very true and powerful statement, but wow, it makes my head spin.)

We had one of our periodic Lord’s Supper and Worship Nights at church last night and one of the words our worship pastor, Eddy, used to describe it was “eclectic.”  It very much was.  There was something for everyone.

The  student band opened the evening with three energetic pieces – they sounded great from the green room and backstage, but otherwise I have no idea.  Admittedly, I was in my own little world of bundled nerves and awaiting my turn.  *blush*  I was so excited for them to play for Worship Night – it is such a great experience, like none other.

So you wanted to hear old and comfortable yet convicting and fabulous hymns?  Check that.   We have a fantastic saxophone player, Evan, who played “The Old Rugged Cross” while Eddy played acoustic guitar during the passing of the “grape juice” portion of the Lord’s Supper.

Fiddle tunes?  Got that, too.  A violinist played the old tune “There Is A Fountain” while myself and another keyboard player, Rebecca, accompanied on piano and keyboard.  This was played during the passing of the bread.  I love, love, love hearing the violin.  Just warms the soul.

Have a taste towards the classical?  Check and check.  Our pastor, Spike, and his wife, Kitty, sang The Prayer (made famous by Celine Dion and Andrea Bocelli) while myself and Rebecca accompanied again.  (Yes, I was a busy and nervous girl.  Remember, Shoeless?  I get nervous, my hands shake, and God keeps me humble, thankfully.)  Super job!  They don’t sing often enough, but they are also busy enough.

Do you prefer a moment of quiet reflection with perhaps some harp sounds?  Yes, live and in person.  This was beautiful! I was so fascinated that I nearly forgot to plug in my in-ears to get ready with the rest of the band.  Oops.  *blush again*  Fascinating to watch and so nice to hear.

The harp transitioned us nicely into the praise and worship music portion of the evening…we quietly got into our places while she played.  Eddy read some more Scripture and we started with Jennifer singing Hosanna (Hillsong).

Oh.  Wow.

Truly a picture of Heaven.  A taste, a sampling if you will, of what it will be like to sing with voices and instruments raised inworship to the One we love.  To look out and see a sea of faces – my church family who I love, everyone with faces lifted, smiling, hands raised to Him…just leaves me speechless.  To hear the sounds of the voices (even with a lot of the sound block by my “in-ears”) was truly amazing.

Next we did “Breathe On Me.”   I love the line in the one that says “You are the God of my story…write every line for Your glory…”  Hits me right there every time.

Jenna hit the next one home….oh, it gave me chills.  I could live in those moments forever.  Truly the power of the Holy Spirit was felt in that time and place when we did “You Are Good (Gateway Worship).” If you’ve never heard it before, go listen to it.  Now.  Ok, thanks.  The words are simple but true and powerful.  They should never be forgotten.

Oh, but it gets better.  Next up… “How He Loves”  (Eddie Kirkland) (I have no idea whose mission trip video this is, but it had the right song on it.  Great work they did!)   What an amazing song.  Just let the words sink into your soul…  I can’t wait to play and sing that one IN Heaven!!

The next set of songs were very high energy and SO much fun!  Before I knew what was going on, we had a choir coming out, youth members crowding the stage, and I think Eddy took a flying leap off one of the platforms during “Happy Day.”  But I wouldn’t know because I was concentrating, but there sure was a lot of movement off to my right…I wouldn’t put it past him.  :)  We went from there into “My Savior Lives.” I’ve always loved that one, too.  Great keyboard part.  No, I’m not biased.  *cheesy grin*

And you thought the service was over.  Oh no, not yet.  While the crowd helped put chairs up (to prepare for next day’s conference or something), we played “Glory to God Forever” (Steve Fee) and everyone enjoyed that one.

Time to go!

Oh, wait…nope!  Let’s do another one!  The fast “You Are Good” (Lincoln Brewster)…and that one is a blast to play.

I see a couple of cute kids off to my left just dancing their hearts out.  I wonder, “Whose kids are those?”  I glance up long enough to see if I can place them.

They’re mine!  Ha!  It was so cute and hilarious watching them.

What an amazing night.  I do not think anyone from any walk of life could walk away disappointed.

Besides…it’s all about Him anyways, right?

I can’t wait to worship in Heaven.

Continued from “Shoeless”…

I think the Holy Spirit whispered to me.

Shouted at me.

Hit me over the head, maybe?

I was sitting in that booth in Panera, sipping my tea from a real mug, reading Wild Choose Chase by Mark Batterson when I felt a spiritual thump.  These words crossed my eyes:

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

Um, what was that again?

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 read it over one more time.  Just to be sure, you know.

Huh, interesting timing.  I pondered this in my head throughout the day.  Later that afternoon, I checked Facebook and Heather had posted the following in her status:

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

Look familiar?  Yea, thought so.

Thump.

Ok, God, I’m listening.  I’m noticing.  I’m meditating.  What do You want me to do about it?

I continued reading Wild Goose Chase and the battering never stopped!

I think this is one of those stories in which the obvious can elude us.  The holy ground wasn’t the Promised Land.  It was right where Moses was standing.  Don’t wait to worship God till you get to the Promised Land;  you’ve got to worship along the way.  This is holy ground.  This is a holy moment.  Take off your sandals.

Why did God tell Moses to take off his sandals?  I think it was God’s way of saying “Be still and know that I am God.”  (Psalm 46:10)

Let’s not talk about the fact that Psalm 46:10 had been on my heart constantly for several weeks.  Next, I talked to my husband about what I had been reading and pondering.

Chris: Here’s another thought.  What do you do when you go into someone else’s house?

Me:  Um, make myself at home?  Or don’t touch?  (I am a mom of preschoolers after all…)

Chris: You take off your shoes and stay awhile.

Loved that.  Worship.  Holiness.  Holy Ground.  Be Still and Know.  Home.  Friend..

Fast forward to Sunday Morning…as I drove into the sunrise to soundcheck and rehearsal, this is what you would’ve heard if you were hearing my thoughts:

What if the people think I’m wierd for taking off my shoes?  Do my feet look decent enough?  How’s the toenail polish?  When should I take off my shoes?  Do I wear them onto the stage then slip them off or take them off in the green room?  Will anyone notice?  I don’t want them to think I have a “holier than thou” attitude.

Because it’s all about Me, you know.

Not me.

It was time for the worship service to begin.  We prayed together and headed on stage, my flip-flops flip-flopping all the way.  I heard and felt the slap of black leather on my feet.  I stepped behind the keyboard and plugged in my “in-ears” and made sure all my settings were correct on the keyboard and the music on the right page.

Then I slipped off my shoes.

It was surprisingly humbling.  Very humbling.

I felt the warm, rough carpet and the cold metal sustain pedal.  And I was reminded of who I serve, of Who my Master is and why I stand on that stage helping to lead in worship my fellow brothers and sisters in Christ with a talent that I am humbled and blessed beyond measure to have.  I serve Him alone.  I do not want to run away for this is not a Master to run from.  He is a Master I want to run to.

I want to take off my shoes and stay awhile.

⁵ “Do not come any closer,” God said. “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.”  -Exodus 3:5

My sandals were starting to become uncomfortable.  I slipped them off and pushed them to the side with my toes, further under the keyboard stand.  As I rehearsed the worship set for Sunday with the rest of the band, I kept feeling the stage carpet against my left foot and the ice-cold metal sustain pedal on the bottom of my right foot.

It wasn’t unusual for me to play in rehearsal with no shoes on – I’d done it before.  You know, if the feet hurt, the shoes come off.  Our worship pastor had even asked if I usually played with my shoes off because he’d seen some who do that because of personal convictions.  I shook my head no, not me.

As I played through songs that praised Him for his holiness (a contemporary arrangement of Holy, Holy, Holy for one), I began to ask that question that plagues all mothers of toddlers and preschoolers, “Why?”

Why did God ask Moses to take of his sandals?

If God granted the knowledge for shoes to be created, then why take them off?

Did it have more to do with Moses’ heart?

Did God want a proverbial barrier removed between Himself and Moses?

I wanted a deeper “why.”  I’ve come to learn that everything about God and Scripture involves so many beautiful layers and intricacies that boggle the mind.  Surely there had to be more?

So I posted my question on Facebook – that great repository of friends with knowledge and wisdom who might be willing to think this through with me.  Here are some of the amazing responses:

That’s an interesting question, Tara. When I think about things like this I look at the overall context of the verse within the rest of the chapter. And, even more importantly in some cases, the culture and/or society at the time. My guess, though I don’t know this, is that this could be a cultural thing. In places considered holy by the Jews it’s possible that they took their shoes off. So in this case, I believe (sorry don’t have a Bible in front of me for the conplete context) Moses is approaching the burning bush but doesn’t yet know it is God. So God tells him to remove his shoes because this is a holy place. That would be the clue to Moses that this burning bush is God.  -KSB

I have never thought of this, Tara. I like thinking this way though. This is how the great theological minds learn and gain new understanding of God. Praise Him that He allows us to question Him.

I have always just assumed it was an outward show of respect, to remove the dirt of the unholy ground before standing in God’s presence.  -H.T.

Totally not related to my comment above exactly but may provide some more insite, when my great-grandfather was buried my mother was pregnant with my sister. Because he was Jewish and buried in a Jewish cemetary my mother was not allowed into the actual cemetary (she stood outside) because she was carrying new life. I don’t know the basis of this belief, but basically the Jews believed that new life should not be within a place where there is death (i.e. the cemetary). Not having been raised Jewish I’m not totally familiar with all the beliefs, I just know bits and pieces. -KSB

Tara, I’m down with your no-barrier thought, but also, I think that since the shoes wade through all the muck and garbage so our feet don’t have to, that by removing them, you’re removing the filth in the presence of God. So maybe it’s symbolic of not only removing a barrier, but also acknowledging that there should be no filth, or sin, in His presence. Removing the filthy part is an attempt, however pathetic as we can’t remove anything on our own without his Holy hand, to purify oneself before Him. I definitely get the ‘don’t come any closer part,’ though, because to see Him clearly would be to spontaneously combust in pure awe! Not a pleasant end to the day, I would guess. Or possibly the best ending of all to see God and then find yourself in Heaven because your body couldn’t handle it!  -D.S.S

OK Tara, went digging in my “Dictionary of Biblical Imagery” and found some neat tidbits: wearing shoes signified freedom therefore going barefoot was a sign of slavery or of being beholden to another. Also bare feet symbolize one’s inner state, serving as an image of spiritual poverty- another reference to slavery. The last reason listed is simply for reverence. The only two times God requires the removal of shoes are for Moses and for Joshua when he was confirmed as the “new’ Moses. Only priests with ceremoniously washed feet could enter God’s presence and the men were most likely wearing sandals made of animal skins which would be difficult to cleanse….for people on stage now I think it’s more the spiritual poverty thing- it also feels strange and will help you remember just exactly why you’re playing/singing. Does that help at all?  -J.C.C.

I forgot to type the fact that slaves were kept barefoot so as to limit their chance of survival if they ever did escape. So going barefoot on purpose would be a very meaningful symbol of your heart’s desire. -J.C.C.

My husband thinks Facebook can be socially destructive, but in this case it was fantastic!  Many more commented how the information touched them as well.  See, God can work through Facebook, too.

A couple of days later, I am reading Wild Goose Chase by Mark Batterson and this quote  nearly jumped out and bit me…

Go here to read part 2 of Shoeless…

• Chapter title, I just love the chapter titles: You Might Not Finish This Chapter
• When I am consumed by my problems – stressed about my life, my family, my job – I actually convey the belief that I think the circumstances are more important than God’s command to alway rejoice.  In other words, that I have a “right” to disobey God because of the magnitude of my responsibilities.
• Worry implies that we don’t quite trust God is big enough, powerful enough, or loving enough to take care of what’s happening in our lives.  Stress says that the things we are involved in are important enough to merit our impatience, our lack of grace towards others, or our tight grip of control.
• Frankly, you need to get over yourself.  Hahaha, this totally made me laugh.  Loving the bluntness.
• The point of your life is to point to Him.  Amen!
• How could I not trust a heavenly, perfect Father who loves me infinitely more than I will ever love my kids?
• The very fact that a holy, eternal, all-knowing, all-powerful, merciful, fair and just God loves you and me is nothing short of astonishing.
• The irony is that while God doesn’t need us but still wants us, we desperately need God but don’t really want Him most of the time.  He treasures us and anticipates our departure from this earth to be with Him – and we wonder, indifferently, how much we have to do for Him to get by.
• Are we in love with God or just His stuff?
• Our love for Him always comes out of His love for us.

I was driving towards my Bible study group meeting last night and the view in front of me was similar to this photo.   Except for the mountains.  And all the green.  And the scenic winding road.  My scene was a four-lane highway, random buildings, and flat.  Lots and lots of flatness.

So really the rainbow is the only similarity.

I am always, always amazed at rainbows.  What an incredible result of the sun shining through droplets of water in the atmosphere.   How some people think this happens by chance is beyond me.  God’s handiwork is everywhere.

For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse. -Romans 1:20

The rainbow I saw was a complete rainbow and it felt like I was going to drive straight through, almost as if under its protection – the protection of God’s promises.

I will remember my covenant between me and you and all living creatures of every kind. Never again will the waters become a flood to destroy all life.  Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures of every kind on the earth. -Genesis 9:15-16

His sun, shining through the rain and the storm, to illuminate the sign of His promise to us.  His Son.  It always reminds that He is so faithful to me, even when I am perpetually not.  It reminds me that His promises will never fail.  It reminds that He is there on the stormy days to provide not only a light to show me the way, but an incredible manifestation of that light that only God could make.

Rainbows always bring me joy.

I have a distinct memory about a rainbow from high school, I believe.  I was at a gas station in a larger town near my home when someone pointed out to me the amazing double rainbow.  I passed on the word to someone else.  I noticed everyone at this large gas station/convenience was talking excitedly, with joy, about the amazing rainbow above us.

Then we all got in our cars and drove away.

For a moment, however, we shared the joy of colorful miracle of light on a stormy day, in awe at the work of God’s hands.  What a fraction of that ultimate joy we will have when we see Him again, with lights more amazing than rainbows even.  I, again, look forward to sharing that joy with others.

¹²I turned around to see the voice that was speaking to me. And when I turned I saw seven golden lampstands,¹³and among the lampstands was someone “like a son of man,”^[b]dressed in a robe reaching down to his feet and with a golden sash around his chest. ¹⁴His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were like blazing fire. ¹⁵His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace, and his voice was like the sound of rushing waters. ¹⁶In his right hand he held seven stars, and out of his mouth came a sharp double-edged sword. His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance.

¹⁷When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me and said: “Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. ¹⁸I am the Living One; I was dead, and behold I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades. – Revelation 1:12-18

Some of my favorite quotes from the preface and chapter one:

• We need to stop giving people excuses not to believe in God.  You’ve probably heard the expression “I believe in God, just not organized religion.”  I don’t think people would say that if the church truly lived like we are called to live.  The expression would change to “I can’t deny what the church does, but I don’t believe in their God.”  At least then they’d address their rejection of God rather than use the church as a scapegoat.
• Many Spirit-filled authors have exhausted the thesaurus in order to describe God with the glory He deserves.  His perfect holiness, by definition, assures us that our words can’t contain Him.  Isn’t it a comfort to worship a God we cannot exaggerate?
• He does not have to know us so well, but He chooses to.
• Don’t we live instead as though God is created for us, to do our bidding, to bless us, and to take care of our loved ones?…He has more of a right to ask us why so many people are starving…we are in no place to demand that He give an account to us…Could it be your arrogance that makes you think God owes you an explanation?
• God never excuses sin.  And He is always consistent with that ethic.  Whenever we start to question whether God really hates sin, we have only to think of the cross, where His Son was tortured, mocked, and beaten because of sin.  Our sin.  No question about it:  God hates and must punhish sin.  And He is totally just and fair in doing so.

This week’s assignment is as follows:

Share something that you appreciate about God or something that you praise him for…

Where do I start?  Really?

I love that He is always so faithful to me when I am not faithful to Him.

I love His grace and His mercy.

I love that my God is the very same God who parted the Red Sea, created the universe, made a donkey talk, and the sun stand still in the sky.  That is MY God, the very same.  How cool is that?  No six degrees of separation here.

I love that He sent His Son to endure what I could not, and to make a way for me to have direct access to my Father.  I do not need an intermediary.  I can pray right to my God in Heaven.  Again, truly amazing.

I love that the evidence of His Hands and His handiwork is everywhere.  Just opening my eyes and looking around, opening my ears and listening:  laughter, flowers, trees, colors, inventions, music, the blue sky…even smells!  He loves to give us good gifts just as I love to give gifts to my children.  But a hundred times so.

I praise Him for being trustworthy.  No matter what happens in this world, He is still my God and I can still trust Him.  He is victorious already.

I praise Him for the Holy Spirit and for being so patient with me as I learn and grow to reflect Christ more and more.  I am no where near that, but what an amazing journey as I walk there.

I praise Him for being the answer to my everything.

To participate in Works of God Mondays, head over to A Dusty Frame!