I Can’t Wear Shoes
Sunday, May 3, 2026
Pastor Mark D. Boykin
Watch the full sermon in it’s entirety here:
Exodus 3:1–10
There are moments in life when God interrupts the ordinary to reveal the extraordinary. Moses was not standing in a palace when God called him. He was not leading a revival or performing miracles. He was tending sheep on the backside of the desert — hidden, forgotten, and far removed from the destiny he once imagined.
Yet it was there, in the wilderness, that God revealed Himself through a burning bush.
The Scripture says:
“And the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush… and the bush was not consumed.” — Exodus 3:2
Moses saw something different. Something holy. Something supernatural. And instead of ignoring it, he turned aside to look.
That is the beginning of every genuine encounter with God: we stop long enough to notice His presence.
Today, many people are waiting for revival as though it is some distant event coming someday in the future. But what if revival is not merely coming? What if God is already moving, speaking, healing, and calling — and we simply need eyes to recognize Him?
The same God who met Moses in the wilderness is still meeting people today.
God Calls Ordinary People
Moses did not feel qualified. He was a fugitive from Egypt. He carried failure, regret, and fear. Forty years earlier, he had tried to deliver God’s people in his own strength and ended up running for his life.
But God had not discarded Moses.
That is important for us to remember: God has no throwaway people.
Age does not disqualify you. Past mistakes do not disqualify you. Lack of education, status, or confidence does not disqualify you. Throughout Scripture, God continually chose imperfect people who were simply willing to obey Him.
Abraham was one hundred years old when God fulfilled His promise through Isaac. Sarah had long passed the age of childbearing. Yet God specializes in doing what human strength cannot accomplish.
Too often, we look at ourselves and say:
“God could never use me.”
“I’m too broken.”
“I don’t know enough.”
“I’ve missed my opportunity.”
But God is not looking for perfect vessels. He is looking for surrendered hearts.
When God calls someone, He also empowers them.
Remove Your Shoes
When Moses approached the burning bush, God spoke these words:
“Put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground.” — Exodus 3:5
Why the shoes?
Shoes represented where Moses had walked, what he had carried, and the influence of Egypt still attached to him. Before Moses could move into God’s assignment, he had to lay aside what connected him to the world behind him.
Sometimes God asks us to remove things that hinder intimacy with Him:
pride,
fear,
distractions,
bitterness,
compromise,
dependence on our own strength.
Holy ground is not merely a location — it is any place where God’s presence is honored.
There are moments when the presence of God becomes so real that all we can do is humble ourselves before Him. We stop performing. We stop pretending. We stop relying on ourselves. We simply stand in awe.
And in that holy place, God speaks.
God Hears the Cry of His People
God told Moses:
“I have surely seen the affliction of my people… and have heard their cry.” — Exodus 3:7
What a comforting truth.
God sees.
God hears.
God knows.
The Israelites had suffered in bondage for four hundred years. Day after day they labored under oppression and hopelessness. Yet heaven was not silent because heaven was unaware. God had a deliverer prepared.
Sometimes we wonder if God sees our pain:
the depression,
the anxiety,
the sickness,
the family struggles,
the financial burdens,
the silent battles no one else understands.
But the burning bush reminds us that God is attentive to the cries of His people.
And often, when God answers prayer, He sends someone filled with His Spirit to carry hope, healing, and truth into difficult places.
Revival Begins With Response
One of the strongest themes in this message is that believers cannot remain passive.
It is not enough to simply talk about God. The world needs to see the power, compassion, and love of Christ demonstrated through His people.
The church was never meant to operate only through discussion and routine. We are called to pray for the sick, encourage the brokenhearted, serve the hurting, and boldly proclaim the hope of Jesus Christ.
Moses had a choice when God called him. He could turn away from the bush, or he could answer.
Likewise, every believer must decide:
Will we merely admire God’s presence from a distance, or will we surrender ourselves to His purpose?
God is still calling people today:
to pray,
to witness,
to serve,
to forgive,
to trust Him,
to walk in faith.
The Holy Spirit still transforms lives.
The same power that met Moses in the wilderness is available to us today through Jesus Christ. God still heals. God still restores. God still delivers. God still calls ordinary people into extraordinary purpose.
Maybe today you feel like Moses: forgotten, unqualified, or stuck in a wilderness season. But perhaps this very moment is your burning bush encounter.
God is inviting you to turn aside and recognize His presence.
The ground becomes holy wherever God reveals Himself. And when we surrender to Him, He can do more through one yielded life than we could ever imagine in our own strength.
So today, remove whatever keeps you from fully trusting Him. Listen for His voice. And when He calls your name, answer as Moses did:
“Here I am.”