Moses at the burning bush
“From beginning to end,” affirms spiritual healer Mary Baker Eddy, “the Scriptures are full of accounts of the triumph of Spirit, Mind, over matter” (Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, p. 139). A preeminent example of this spiritual power took place in early Hebrew history, in the Sinai desert.
At this time, Moses—who will later become leader of the Hebrew nation—is a lowly shepherd. Yet he alone witnesses God’s power and glory in the phenomenon of a bush on fire but not consumed. His willingness to stop and view this wonder changes his life. He hears God’s self-identification as “I AM THAT I AM” and is tasked with freeing his people from Egyptian enslavement (see Exodus 3).
At the outset of this sacred interchange, God requires Moses to remove his shoes—because “the place whereon thou standest is holy ground.” To Jews, going barefoot showed respect and veneration, since dirt from shoes or sandals was considered profane in holy places.
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