Today we begin in the wilderness. In the midst of the wilderness something extraordinary happens, God who is everywhere at all times in all places makes Himself known through a bush burning but not consumed in Exodus chapter 3. What strikes me this week as I begin these five days of Revival God invites Moses to take off his shoes for the place he stands on is holy ground.

When I think about that which is Holy, it is namely special, set aside to be used for a divine purpose for God’s design. Holy Ground being in this case a place where God speaks and calls for mission the purpose of the liberation of God’s people from oppression, degradation and slavery. Namely God is preparing Moses who has fled Egypt to establish a special and personal relationship that he might be used as an instrument for God’s plan and purpose. Name denotes relationship. When a name is shared it indicates that a relationship is established:

“I am the God of your fathers, “ he continued,
“the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, the God of Jacob.” he continues “Moses said to God, “But when I go to the Israelites
and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’
if they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ what am I to tell them?”
God replied, “I am who am.”
Then he added, “This is what you shall tell the Israelites:
I AM sent me to you.” In Hebrew Yahweh.

Now this is the starting place for us this week of revival. This place that is already Holy Ground for it is here that God dwells in a special way through our worship, but this week we set aside in our hearts to take of our shoes and allow ourselves to dedicate ourselves to be again in a special way a place that God wishes to dwell, to speak to us and to call us for a special purpose and mission to be used as God’s agents for the liberation of those bound and oppressed.

This Holy Ground that has been set aside is where God desires to satisfy our thirst, provide us with spiritual food to give us the nourishment we need, yet not only for this week of revival but to help us in our daily walk with Him, as we are continually called and sent by God for the mission of discipleship.

Paul in his first letter to the corinthians states:

“All ate the same spiritual food,
and all drank the same spiritual drink,
for they drank from a spiritual rock that followed them,
and the rock was the Christ.”

Like the people of Israel, we too eat of the same spiritual food in word and sacrament. Christ truly is the solid rock from which we drink

Today we find a weary fig tree, one that is not bearing fruit. The land owner wants to cut it down, to keep it from cluttering up the ground. We like the tree in the Gospel may find ourselves seemingly weary, fruitless, and in need of cultivation and nourishment.

Psalm 1 :1-3

Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers. 

This week as we’ve planted our feet on Holy ground we are allowing the Lord to nourish us, the cultivate and produce spiritual growth and spiritual fruit in our lives. To often we think it is that we feel good, we get a spiritual boost. This cultivation is so that we bear fruit, it is to build up the body of Christ

Look at

Ephesians 4:12-16

¹² to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, ¹³ until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood,^[a] to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, ¹⁴ so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. ¹⁵ Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ,¹⁶ from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.