When God confronts Moses at the burning bush, Moses is told, “Take your sandals off your feet, for the place where you stand is holy ground.” Moses has been out and about, wandering in the wilderness with a flock of sheep. Suddenly, he is confronted with a strange sight and an ordained encounter with God. Moses, once the Prince of Egypt has now effectively been demoted to nothing more than a sheepherder for his father-in-law.

Moses had thought his destiny was to become the savior of Israel; but instead, a wild outburst of anger, a dead Egyptian, and an angry Pharaoh has sent Moses into a life of wilderness exile. It seemed as though God was done with him, and yet, in that moment God met him. Moses had thought he was walking through a barren wasteland, but to God, this was “holy ground.” Most people look at life and think, “if God improves my circumstances, then I will do more for Him. Then I will dedicate myself to more of His will.” To those people I would say, “It is in the barren, wilderness trials of life, that God is found.” How many shepherds before Moses walked past the burning bush without giving it a second glance?

Pay attention to your surroundings when walking through the seemingly barren landscape of life. It is in these seasons you may just encounter the God of the Universe, who calls you to remove your sandals and meet with Him, because the place where you are standing is holy. God picks people for the job because they were faithful in what felt like the most deserted desert of life. Be ready, at the moment you least expect, you may find you have stumbled onto “holy ground” with God calling you to the place for which you have been destined!