And the commander of the Lord’s army said to Joshua, “Take off your sandals from your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy.” And Joshua did so
– Joshua 5:15
This is, in some ways, a similar scene to Exodus 3. Back then, God spoke to Moses through a burning bush. He told him to take off his sandals because he was standing on holy ground. Here, Joshua has this unexpected encounter on the outskirts of Jericho with the commander of the Lord’s army. That’s the name of the person who meets Joshua here. He says to Joshua, “Take off your sandals from your feet, for the place where you’re standing is holy.” In both of these instances, we are seeing unique encounters with the presence of God. It is the holiness of God that warrants taking shoes off because this is holy ground.
Joshua 5:15 points to the reality that we are temples of the Holy Spirit.
So I read this, and then I jump over to the New Testament, and I think about the reality that we pray in light of a lot, that our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, which means wherever we go, whatever we do, you and I are on holy ground. Now, I don’t think that means we need to walk without shoes.
I don’t see that command in the New Testament. But I do believe we’re to live in this reality as temples of the Holy Spirit. Wherever we are or whatever we’re doing. Whether we’re lying down at night or getting up in the morning. Every step we take throughout the day. At the workplace, school, home, walking down the sidewalk, traveling, anywhere in the world. Wherever we go, we are temples of the Holy Spirit. As followers of Jesus, we are on holy ground. So just let that soak in.
Wherever you’re listening to this right now. Even if you’re driving in the car, you’re on holy ground in that car. Just let that soak in. You’re on holy ground. If you are in a school classroom, you’re on holy ground right now. If you’re at work, you’re on holy ground right now. Or if you’re at home, you’re on holy ground. If you’re taking a walk, the ground you’re walking on is holy. Why? Because you’re walking on it, and you have the presence of God in you.
Joshua 5:15 calls us to glorify God in everything we think, say, and do.
So let that transform the way you think, what you desire, the way you speak, the way you live, the way you love. Let it transform everything about you today. Oh God, help us, we pray, to live in light of this reality that we’re on holy ground. God, help us to honor you, to glorify you in your holiness with every single thing we do, every single detail of our lives.
As you taught us to pray, Jesus, hallowed be your name, cause your name to be glorified as holy through our every step today, through our walking, our standing, our sitting, our lying down, our speaking, our working, our everything, God, we pray that in every single thing we do, your Holy Spirit would lead us in such a way that you would be glorified in your holiness through us. And God, we pray in the power of your Holy Spirit that you would help us to speak your Word today in ways that lead others to hallow your name. God, we pray for that around the world.
Prayer for the Kabyle Berber People
We pray for the Kabyle Berber people today, for 7,500,000 Kabyle-speaking Muslim men, women, and children. God, we pray for these tribes in Morocco, Tunisia, Western Libya, Northern Algeria, North Africa, Europe, and other places in the world. Lord, we pray for the spread of the gospel through your church.
God, we pray for all those who are working right now for the spread of the gospel. Among the Kabyle Berber and other unreached people. That they would know. Even in places where the gospel has not gone. That they are on holy ground because they are walking with you. Bringing the gospel to those places, to people who need it, God. We pray for your salvation of the Kabyle Berber people, that they might hallow your name. Oh God, we pray for the hallowing of your name in all the earth, through us as your people living on holy ground. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.
David Platt serves as a Lead Pastor for McLean Bible Church. He is also the Founder of Radical, an organization that makes Jesus known among the nations.
David received his B.A. from the University of Georgia and M.Div., Th.M., and Ph.D. from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. Some of his published works include Radical, Radical Together, Follow Me, Counter Culture, Something Needs to Change, Don’t Hold Back, and How to Read the Bible.
He lives in the Washington, D.C. metro area with his wife and children.
