Holy Ground, This?

So, there probably weren't pigs (especially these) in Bethlehem...

Cattle (lowing?)...
It was here, with the goats, that we really began to notice that this was a stable. For me, it was when I noticed the strings on the hem of my son's garmet dragging in the muck.
Don't step there, little one...

Just thinking a little bit about holy ground and stables.

A while back I was thinking about messy (forced into it, actually). I wasn't very happy about it then, and I was reminded of it the other day, this day that we went to the zoo, when things seemed messy for a while. I was reminded that messy has somehow become Holy ground. It was a song that reminded me. I'll copy the words at the end.

The song reminded me of Moses and a bush. Moses out herding his father-in-law's sheep (what's with God and shepherds? A lot I guess), sees a bush that's burning, but not burning up. It turns out God is there--"take off your shoes, Moses!" I wonder what the ground actually looked like that he was standing on--it was sheep territory, Moses' life was pretty messy, The Israelites' were in a mess--Slavery, crushed in spirit, all that.

The song and the season (last time this particular song turned up in my world, it was snowing) reminded me also of this baby, born in a stable, in an overcrowded town. I didn't want my son, wearing shoes, standing in that stuff (remember those photos at the beginning?) in a well-maintained and uncrowded zoo barnyard. Born there? No thank you. Was I watching where I stepped? Yes! But Jesus, He went there. He, not regarding equality with God a thing to be grasped, humbled himself. Took on messy. The messiest.

Holy Ground, this.

Be still, for the presence of the Lord,

the Holy One is here.

Come, bow before Him now,

with reverence and fear.

In Him no sin is found,

we stand on holy ground.

Be still, for the presence of the Lord,

the Holy One is here.

Be still, for the glory of the Lord,

is shining all around.

He burns with holy fire,

with splendor He is crowned.

How awesome is the sight,

our radiant King of Light!

Be still, for the glory of the Lord,

is shining all around.

Be still, for the power of the Lord,

is moving in this place.

He comes to cleanse and heal,

to minister His grace.

No work too hard for Him,

in faith receive from Him.

Be still, for the power of the Lord,

is moving in this place.

"Be Still For the Presence of the Lord"

words and music by David Evans (1957-)