The what, I think, is intuitive. It’s the how that trips people up.

Believer of not, if you are willing to entertain the idea of there being a God, I’m guessing you’re willing to concede He is not approached like your run of the mill mere mortal would be. If creation is enough to convince you there’s a Creator, and you’re willing to entertain the idea that this Creator wants to interact with His creation, then asking yourself what’s required to know a God in your midst is probably a good question to ask. That’s kind of where the songwriter lands this morning.

The earth is the LORD’s and the fullness thereof, the world and those who dwell therein, for He has founded it upon the seas and established it upon the rivers. Who shall ascend the hill of the LORD? And who shall stand in His holy place?

(Psalm 24:1-3 ESV)

Who’s going to stand before God? For a God who is truly God must be holy. He must have a “set-apartness” from His creation. Intuitively, it’s what defines something, or Someone, as sacred. So, asks the psalmist, who can draw near to divine apartness? What’s required to stand in His holy place?

I also read in Exodus this morning. There Moses was told what to do to stand in the presence of God.

When the LORD saw that he turned aside to see, God called to him out of the bush, “Moses, Moses!” And he said, “Here I am.” Then He said, “Do not come near; take your sandals off your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.”

(Exodus 3:4-5 ESV)

So, if I connect Moses’ shoe-lessness with the songwriter’s song, I’m thinking that barefoot before God is a picture of impeccability, purity, fidelity, and integrity.

Who shall ascend the hill of the LORD? And who shall stand in His holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to what is false and does not swear deceitfully.

(Psalm 24:3-4 ESV)

There it is. That’s the what. Clean hands. Pure heart. No idol worship. No treachery in what is promised.

Impeccable before God, without stain, cleansed of defilement. Pure before God, sincere in spirit, clear of contaminants.

Faithful to God. A one-God man, a one-God woman. Exalting none other than the Exalted One. Serving none other than the LORD of all. Transparent before God. Their “yes” being “yes”, their “no” being “no.” What you see, what you hear, is what they are.

Impeccability. Purity. Fidelity. Integrity. That’s the what, the bare feet of someone who is able to stand before a holy God on holy ground.

The question left then is how do you get there? Because, if we’re honest with ourselves, we don’t have in ourselves what it takes to be barefoot before God.

He will receive blessing from the LORD and righteousness from the God of his salvation. Such is the generation of those who seek Him, who seek the face of the God of Jacob. Selah

(Psalm 24:5-6 ESV)

Righteousness is received from the God of salvation by those who seek the God of salvation. Seek His face, and He looks after your feet.

He makes hands clean and hearts pure. He so enraptures the soul that it finds no interest in what is false. He makes known the way of truth and light so that it dispels the darkness of deceit. He gifts righteousness and then transforms people into the righteousness they’ve been gifted. And all this through the person of His beloved Son and the finished work of Calvary’s cruel cross.

His blood cleanses us from all sin. His redeeming power has given us new hearts. His grace captures our soul. His truth becomes the light of those once blinded by sin.

Being barefoot before God is standing in the perfection of Another, Jesus the Son of God. His impeccability and His purity. His fidelity and integrity.

Such is the generation of those who seek Him, who seek the face of the God of Jacob. Selah

What wondrous grace. To God be the glory.