In this obeisance series, we will learn what it means to give reverence to God before proceeding into His presence, before making supplications known, before we seek for help, and so on. And this morning, the first topic we shall be talking about is “TAKE IT OFF.”

I believe the question we may want to ask is “what are we taking off?” but before we go into that, taking it off means it is not allowed. Take it off means it is not welcome. It may make us look good, but it is not welcome.

It is just like when you go and pay someone a visit in their house and they already have a custom of taking off their shoes at the door entrance area, and you just have to walk with your bare feet or socks as you proceed into their living rooms.

Due to the fact that your host does not want dirt in their living room or house in general, they believe your shoes can bring germs into their home, so they will respectfully ask for folks to leave their shoes behind, and our response to take off our shoes shows we pay obeisance to our host’s customs.

Because our inability or disobedience to that may lead to two things: one, either they let it slide on that very day and never invite you into their house again, or two, they stand their ground for what their custom is, and if you won’t listen, they ask you to leave.

And when we comply, it shows our gestural respect towards the hosts, which is what is expected. And this same act is expected before our Maker who made us understand that we cannot come before His presence anyhow, any way, most especially when He is ready to meet with us.

Hence the reason He brought to Moses’ awareness what is needed to be done when he is curious to see the mighty move of God on the burning but not consumed bush.

The Bible says Moses, while tending the flock of Jethro, his father-in-law, came to the back of the desert, Horeb, and the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire. And he looked. He could not take his eyes off from what he saw. Then he turned aside because he is curious to see the great sight of God’s presence because the bush does not burn.

Which was what God expected so as to catch Moses’ attention, but before Moses would move closer, he would need to pay obeisance to God by taking off what was not needed in the back of the desert which has become the sacred place because God has taken over the whole environment.

And God told him to take off his sandal, and the question here is, why would God tell Moses to take off his sandals? It is because he is in the presence of the Holy One and the ground he is about to step into has become a holy ground because of the presence of the Holy One.

And this act here symbolizes reverence, humility, and submission. This act is also represented as the removal of defilement. For someone who has been roaming the desert, his sandals would have stepped on so much filth, so in general, approaching God in that manner wouldn’t give an unhindered connection to God if he had not obeyed.

Removing shoes/sandals was an ancient eastern custom to show respect in the presence of a superior or in holy locations. The other religion close to us (Muslims) do it till today, and also some denominations in Christianity also do this up to date.

It is a sign of holiness and reverence. They believe walking barefoot to be a physical connection to God. They see it as a sign of submission and humility, which shows their unworthiness and need for cleansing before the Holy One.

So removing sandals also means removing defilement, and it can symbolize leaving behind the “dirty” mundane aspects of life to enter a pure, holy state, which is a sign of holiness and reverence.

However, beyond all these, we know, except the Lord gives a clear instruction of repeating the same steps, it is no longer a custom for us to take off our sandals. However, what the Lord expects from us is to take off anything that could represent defilement before approaching His presence.

So the question you may want to ask now is, what would be “our sandals” that we need to take off as a way of showing obeisance to Yahweh when we are approaching His presence?

To Moses, it is his sandals, but to us, we people of this generation, what could be that filth, that shortcoming, that error, that malevolence, that grief, that hatred, that dissension, contention, jealousy, uncleanness, to name a few, that we are bringing to where God has declared as a holy ground?

We must do everything in our best to take it off because we cannot come into His presence, to hear from Him, to receive from Him, to make our supplications to Him without reverencing Him with our purity, with our humility and submission, with us removing every form of defilement in us.

Before God and we have a discussion, God would have known you for someone who knows what it means to show obeisance to Him.

And God is calling our attention today in revelations, in His words, through sermons, through prophecies, dreams, and whatnot, but one thing that we forget to do is to take off what is not needed in His presence before coming.

You may say, “But God said, come as you are, come to Me all you who labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest.” Those who respond to such a call must understand that there is obeisance to be shown.

Jesus talked in a parable in Matthew 22:1-14, and verse 11 to be precise, about a man who did not show obeisance by meeting the little criteria that would qualify him to be part of the invited guests, and he was thrown outside.

What are you bringing into the presence of Yahweh that God sees to be unholy, to be unrighteous? Sometimes we may think it is holy for us to bring it in because we do not know, but how ready are we to hear what the Lord God will say so that He may direct us on the right path to go so as to stand in His presence?

Let someone say, “Take it OFF.” I know you are curious. You are desperate. You want to know, but what is worth doing is worth doing well. Show obeisance by taking off what was not needed so that Yahweh may accommodate you as you are.