Holy Ground

In Rudyard Kipling’s “How Fear Came”, we are introduced to the ‘Water Truce’. While the various animals living in both desert and jungle typically had to fend for themselves or rely on packs, the rules completely changed whenever drought came. Suddenly, all the animals were forced to rely on the few remaining places to drink. At these times, a Water Truce was implemented: all animals approaching any drinking place were completely forbidden from harming each other. Every watering hole became Holy Ground.

Early in the history of the Israelite people, Moses had relied on his own strength when he killed a man to defend a fellow Israelite. He became afraid and ran away into the wilderness. There he approached a burning bush. Moses was told by God: “Do not come near; take your sandals off your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.” From this point forward, for Moses to succeed, he would no longer rely on human strength and ingenuity. Instead, he trusted God alone.

In our lives, there are many times that we need to take a step back and trust God. We may not have a Water Truce or see a burning bush, but we can finally realize that all the ways we attempt to deal with the conflicts around us are not working. Like Moses, we can quit trying to push our way through situations on our own strength and learn that God’s way is better. Even if others continue in arguments and debates, we can pray for everyone involved, disengage from fighting, and remember we are standing on Holy Ground!

In Christ,
Pastors Stan and David