A lot of times when we talk about worship, we end up talking about worship that is “authentic.” This usually means either trying to create an experience that helps us feel something, or getting our hearts in the right place to know what we’re feeling. Sometimes we talk about “worshipping in Spirit and in truth,” meaning that there has to be a spiritual, inner being actively engaged in worship along with our physical body. Many times we’ll talk about how we should or could worship together and how we should or could worship personally and privately.

We need to uncover some new concepts in our adoration of God. . . how about “holy ground,” being barefoot, worshipping facedown in the dirt and kissing the Son [sun]? Embarking on such a study, the first thing you’ll learn is that adoration is physical. You’ll also learn that adoration of God must be free of distractions and the ordinary.

Ancient wisdom that we glean from Scripture tells us that your adoration of God needs to be physical and focused. . . you’re to remove your shoes, fall down, and kiss the Son! Now – before you simply close this blog and run out to tell people that there’s a crazy guy on the internet that talks about being barefoot with your face in the dirt, kissing something or someone – let’s get into the Bible to see what we can learn. . .

In Exodus 3 we read that Moses was tending the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian. Moses had led his flock to the far side of the desert and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. There the angel of the Lord appeared to him in flames of fire from within a bush. Moses saw that though the bush was on fire it did not burn up. So Moses thought, “I will go over and see this strange sight – why the bush does not burn up.” Curiosity.

When the Lord saw that he had gone over to look, God called to him from within the bush, “Moses! Moses!” And Moses said, “Here I am.” Availability.

“Do not come any closer,” God said. “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.” Then He said, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob.” At this, Moses hid his face, because he was afraid to look at God. Reverence, Awe or Fear of God.

The Lord said, “I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned about their suffering. So I have come down to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land into a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey – the home of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites. And now the cry of the Israelites has reached me, and I have seen the way the Egyptians are oppressing them. So now, go. I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt.”

But Moses said to God, “Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?”

And God said, “I will be with you. And this will be the sign to you that it is I who have sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you will worship God on this mountain.”

Moses said to God, “Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is His name?’ Then what shall I tell them?”

God said to Moses, “I am who I am. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I am has sent me to you.’” (Exodus 3:1-14)

Moses’ adoration was genuine. It was born in curiosity, and was quickly followed by fear and awe, then gave way to reverence and adoration.

When our adoration is genuine – such that we are willing to seek Him out and to remove our shoes in His Holy Presence – to remove the mundane and base from His incredible wonder – He is inclined to tell us what He has planned, and to include us in this planning. God does something more: God invites us to become so familiar with Him that He tells us His personal name: “I AM.”

God’s name – sometimes pronounced Yahweh or Jehovah, means: “I AM.” It’s fitting that when God called to Moses, Moses answered: “Here I am,” then, when God told Moses His name, it was in the same fashion: “I AM!”

“I AM WHO I AM.” “I WILL BE WHAT I WILL BE.”

My mother could have had a name like that. Whenever there was a thunderstorm, or whenever I was sick or scared, Mom would say something like: “I’m right here,” or “I’m not going to leave you,” or “I’ll keep you safe.” Those could have been my mom’s names: “I’m right here”, “I’m not going to leave you”, “I’ll keep you safe.”

The name of God was fitting for Him: I AM – I Always Have Been And Always Will Be. And what we’ve learned is that when you’re with the Great I Am – wherever that place is, is Holy Ground. In your home. In your car. Here in this room. In the park. While you’re at work. When you’re with God – you’re standing on Holy Ground – and you’re in the Presence of your up-close and personal Father in Heaven.

What Moses did in removing his shoes teaches us that when we adore God, perhaps we should remove the mundane and the crass from between us. Then – what you get, is God getting up-close and personal with you! Isn’t that what you want? Isn’t that where you want to be? Up close and personal with your Heavenly Father?

I want to clarify that you can worship and adore with muddy feet or with work boots on in the middle of the busiest intersection in a loud, crowded city – the condition of your shoes or your feet or where you’re standing is not really the issue. This is about being in God’s Presence and getting rid of the distractions that come between you and God. He’s telling you: “Get ready for the miraculous and the magnificent. . . prepare yourself and come to me fully!”

There’s another part to the ancient wisdom we’re learning this morning: falling facedown before the Lord.

Abram fell facedown, and God said to him, “As for me, this is my covenant with you: You will be the father of many nations. No longer will you be called Abram; your name will be Abraham, for I have made you a father of many nations. I will make you very fruitful; I will make nations of you, and kings will come from you. I will establish my covenant as an everlasting covenant between me and you and your descendants after you for the generations to come, to be your God and the God of your descendants after you. (Genesis 17:3-7)

Abram’s adoration was heartfelt. He couldn’t help but fall down with his face to the ground. Because of Abram’s adoration and attitude of falling down facedown, God made a covenant with him – one that involved giving Abram a new name. “Abram” had meant “Exalted Father” yet the new name “Abraham” meant “Father of Many.” Abram had no children. What kind of a name is “Exalted Father” for a man with absolutely no children? But God promised that Abram would become the father of many nations – so he needed a new name that matched the promise God made: “Father of Many: Abraham.”

When our adoration is heartfelt – enough to fall facedown before Him, He is delighted to be our God, to make us fruitful, to prosper us.

Let me be quick to point out that “falling” facedown before God is not some kind of “trust” exercise you might go through in a class or workshop or at camp, where you fall backwards and hope someone catches you. You’re not falling face-first and hoping God catches you. This “falling” describes the attitude of your heart – not the rate or descent or the pitch or angle of your body! “Falling” facedown is not a slow, half-hearted, “maybe I’ll bow or kneel – well, I guess I’ll just lower my eyes. . .” No! Falling means you can’t wait to get down before Him; it’s where you want to be, and it’s where you want to stay. You get down quickly, and enjoy the process!

Once we’re there, God goes one step further – beyond delighting in us and making us fruitful. . . He gives us a “new name!” Revelation 2:17 tells us that each of us receives a new name from God – a secret name! Isn’t that incredible? What might your new name be as you learn to adore God and fall down before Him with your face to the ground in reverence?

There’s an old worship song called “I will change your name” by D.J. Butler:

I will change your name.
You shall no longer be called “Wounded”, “Outcast”,
“Lonely” or “Afraid.”

I will change your name.
Your new name shall be “Confidence,” “Joyfulness,”
“Overcoming One,” “Faithfulness,” “Friend of God,”
“One Who Seeks My Face.”

(c) 1987 Mercy/Vineyard Publishing

As you learn to adore God, and fall facedown before Him, will you be called “Wounded?” “Outcast?” “Lonely?” “Afraid?” Not hardly. What names have you taken on over the years? “Overwhelmed?” “Fearful?” “Never Happy?” “Always Alone?” “Habitually Ticked-Off?” “Sour Grapes?”

It reminds me of the book Hind’s Feet on High Places by Hannah Hurnard, with the lead character of the book named Much Afraid of the Fearing clan who lives in the Valley of Humiliation, and who is betrothed to a man named Craven Fear. Her cousins are Pride, Bitterness, Resentment – and a really irritating fellow by the name of Self-Pity! Sometimes we give ourselves names – and then try to live up to them!

But God wants to give you a name like “Confidence” “Joyfulness” “Overcoming One” Faithful” “Friend of God” and “One Who Seeks My Face”!

There’s a third part of the ancient wisdom we’re uncovering: kissing the Son. In ancient times, it was common practice to kiss the feet of a king or monarch or conqueror. Not only would you not stand in their presence, you’d fall down before them and bow really low and touch your forehead to the ground, but if you were truly humble, you’d kiss their feet. These may have been the king’s feet – but they were still dusty and dirty and could have had any number of things wrong with them; but you’d touch your lips to their stinky, dirty feet.

This is what Psalm 2:12 says:

Kiss the Son, lest He be angry
and you be destroyed in your way,
for His wrath can flare up in a moment.
Blessed are all who take refuge in Him. (NIV)

“Submit to God’s royal son, or He will become angry, and you will be destroyed in the midst of your pursuits – for His anger can flare up in an instant. But what joy for all who find protection in Him!” (Psalm 2:12 - NLT)

“Kiss the Messiah! Your very lives are in danger, you know; His anger is about to explode, but if you make a run for God – you won’t regret it!” (Psalm 2:12 - The Message)

Psalm 2 was written as a warning for those who throw off God’s restraints and teaching. . . read Psalm 2 starting at verse 1:

Why do the nations conspire
and the peoples plot in vain?
The kings of the earth take their stand
and the rulers gather together
against the Lord
and against his Anointed One.
“Let us break their chains,” they say,
“and throw off their fetters.”

The One enthroned in heaven laughs;
the Lord scoffs at them.
Then he rebukes them in his anger
and terrifies them in his wrath. . .

Therefore, you kings, be wise;
be warned, you rulers of the earth.
Serve the Lord with fear
and rejoice with trembling.

Kiss the Son, lest He be angry
and you be destroyed in your way,
for His wrath can flare up in a moment.
Blessed are all who take refuge in Him. (Psalm 2:1-12)

Psalm 2 is mainly written as a warning to those who don’t believe, but it is also written for us. . . if the enemy is asked to bow down and kiss the King’s feet, then His loyal, loving servants should do no less! We won’t have to worry about the “lest He be angry” part – but the Bible promises that we can certainly find assurance in the “Blessed are all who take refuge in Him!”

Remove your shoes, fall down, and kiss the Son! It’s about adoring God. It’s about our proper posture and attitude and manner of addressing God. Curiosity in seeking the presence of God; availability to come to Him; reverent awe; physical worship; no distractions or things in the way.

Do you “stand up” to God or “push back” against God, or do you get rid of the obstacles between you and Him, remove the mundane and the crass and the distracting, fall face-down before Him, and kiss His feet?

James, the brother of Jesus, taught us this: “Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will lift you up.” (James 4:10) There’s a bit more to that passage:

“God opposes the proud
but gives grace to the humble.”

Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and He will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will lift you up. (James 4:6-10)

Get rid of the obstacles between you and Him, remove the mundane and the crass and the distractions, and humble yourself before Him. . . and, the Bible says, He will come near to you! He’ll give you a new name, and He’ll talk with you about His personal name “I AM” – and He’ll assure in words Jesus used: “I AM with you always. . .” (Matthew 28:20)

What’s more, Revelation 3:12 tells us that we will bear our Lord’s new name. He will write upon us His new name – a name we do not yet know – but a name that is much more than up-close and personal – it’ll be His new name we will actually bear along with our own new name! All because of our adoration and reverence for Him.

Let me ask you some questions about your posture and your mindset in adoration. Do you pray? Do you make the time, take the time, or squeeze it in? Do you sit down to pray? Do you kneel? Do you ever touch your forehead to the ground? Have you ever lied facedown? Do you wish you could kiss Jesus’ feet – or are you glad you don’t have to?

Try something right now. Wherever you are, stand up, turn around and face your chair. Slip off your shoes, and put them under your chair for the time being – because you’re entering God’s Presence, so you’re on Holy Ground! Now, simply kneel right where you are, lean on your chair, and offer a heartfelt prayer of love and adoration and thanksgiving.

This week, find a good time for some extended worship and adoration; remove your shoes because in His Presence the ground upon which you stand on is Holy; fall facedown before the Lord; and – at least figuratively, since He is not physically present for this part – kiss the feet of the Son of God, your Savior, Jesus.

As you get rid of the obstacles between you and God – removing the mundane and the distractions – and humble yourself before Him, the Bible promises that He will come near to you. When your adoration is heartfelt – enough to fall facedown before Him – He is delighted to be your God, to make you fruitful, to prosper you, and to give you a “new name.” Work on putting this into practice every day as you learn to worship: “Remove your shoes, fall down, and kiss the Son!”