^“Then God said (to Moses), “Come no closer! Remove the sandals from your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.” (Exodus 3:5)

This morning, I received a FaceTime call from my daughter because our granddaughter insisted on calling her Nana. So, bless my daughter, she called me. The first words out of Avery’s mouth were: “Avery… Nana sandals.” Now, that may need a little translation. She’s only two and she is just figuring out sentence structure. What she wanted to show me and tell me was that the sandals she was wearing were the ones I bought her for her birthday – so they have been nicknamed “Nana sandals.” She loves those little sandals, and each time she wears them, she reminds her mother where they came from.

There is a story in the book of Exodus that some of you might remember. It is the moment in the desert wilderness that Moses was confronted with a burning bush that would not be consumed. He experienced God’s voice in that bush as he heard the words: “Take off your sandals, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.”

Now, my conversation with my granddaughter may not seem like a sacred moment to you, but it was for me today. It was a moment where I took off my own sandals to realize I was indeed, in a holy and sacred place of connection with family and with God.

What if these moments are the holy ground God is inviting us to pay attention to at this time? What if we have been so busy ‘doing’ — that we have forgotten how often God surprises us with sacred moments in every single day. I am committing to taking this time to pay closer attention to all the surprising ways God’s presence is all around me – and to give thanks.

Rev. Dr. Deb Kaiser-Cross
Minister for Congregational Care

Prompt for Reflection
Open your eyes to the sacred moments that will happen today. Dare to be surprised by the sacred moments that God invites you to experience.

Prayer Focus
For the people in our neighborhood.

Surprise me today, O Lord, with your extravagant goodness. Help my heart sense and seek the joy of a life abiding in you. Help my spirit drink in the beauty of a world that you have made for delight. Then, invite me to take off my sandals, be still, and recognize the sacred space in which I am standing. Amen.