23 Mar 2026

March 23–29: “I Have Remembered My Covenant” (Exodus 1-6)

After 400 years, Israel is enslaved by a Pharaoh who "knew not Joseph." To save them, God sends an 80-year-old shepherd. This week’s story teaches us that God hears our cries, remembers His covenants, and empowers the most unlikely people to do His greatest work.

Encountering the Divine

"Take off your shoes.
You're standing on Holy Ground."

God often interrupts our ordinary routines with extraordinary grace. Just as Moses had walked the same dusty mountain countless times before it became a sacred sanctuary, we can learn to recognize the presence of the Lord in our own lives and treat His calling with profound reverence.

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Set the Stage: The Fire in the Scrub

Moses had spent 40 years as a prince in Egypt, followed by 40 years hiding as a humble shepherd in the wilderness of Midian. One day, while tending his flock near the jagged peaks of Mount Horeb, he noticed a desert bush engulfed in swirling flames—yet the leaves were not burning. As he approached this impossible sight, the voice of the Lord called to him directly out of the fire, commanding him to remove his sandals.

Need more backstory? Check out our Joy Tier Fireside Moment here.

The Big Idea: Holy Ground
Why did God ask Moses to take off his shoes? In the ancient world, removing your shoes was a sign of deep respect and servitude. But it’s also highly symbolic: shoes carry the dirt, dust, and grime of the world. By taking them off, Moses was leaving the "world" outside to step cleanly into the presence of God. When we enter holy places today—like the temple, our chapels, or even during family prayer—we are invited to leave the "dust" of our worldly distractions behind.

Scripture Bridge

Exodus 3:5 "And he said, Draw not nigh hither: put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground."

Lyric Highlight

Holy Ground
"He said: Take off your shoes!
You gotta take off your shoes!
You’re standing on Holy Ground.
Look at the Love you found.
Don't you run, don't you hide, don't you turn around..."

Reflect: Moses had to turn aside from his daily work to notice the burning bush. What are some "burning bushes" or quiet miracles God might be placing in your life right now? How can you show more reverence for the holy things and holy places in your life?

Family Activity

The "Holy Ground" Walk

Try This: Have everyone take off their shoes at the front door before coming into the living room for a family devotional or prayer. Talk about what it feels like to leave your shoes behind. Discuss how our home can be a "holy place" where the Spirit of the Lord dwells.

Reflect: What specific "worldly dust" (like phones, arguments, or bad media) do we need to leave at the door to make sure our home stays a sacred sanctuary?

Watch & Listen

Too Many Babies

Imagine being ordered to do something terrible by the most powerful king on earth. That is exactly what happened to Shiphrah and Puah, two Hebrew midwives. The new Pharaoh of Egypt was terrified because the enslaved Israelite population was growing so fast, so he issued a horrific, scary decree: every time a Hebrew baby boy was born, the midwives were commanded to kill him immediately. This wicked law is exactly why a brave mother later hid her baby in a waterproof basket in the Nile River—a baby who would grow up to be Moses!

But these women feared God more than they feared the king. They cleverly defied Pharaoh's orders, risking their own lives to save the next generation of Israelites. When Pharaoh questioned them, they bravely made excuses to protect the babies. This song celebrates their quiet courage, reminding us that true bravery often means doing the right thing and protecting the vulnerable, even when the person asking you to do wrong wears a crown.

Want the full story? Read the complete Fireside Moment or explore the Lyric-Scripture Blueprint in our Joy Tier Deep Dive.

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Holy Ground

Have you ever had to take off your muddy shoes before walking into a clean house? When Moses was living as a fugitive and working as a desert shepherd, he spent forty years walking the same dusty, rugged mountains. But one day, he saw something impossible: a dry desert bush was engulfed in flames, but the leaves weren't burning up. As he walked closer to investigate, the voice of God called out from the fire and told him to stop and take off his sandals.

In the ancient world, removing your shoes was a sign of deep respect. It meant leaving the dirt and "dust" of the world outside so you could step cleanly into God's presence. This song explores the amazing moment an ordinary, dusty mountain slope was instantly transformed into a sacred sanctuary. It teaches us that God can interrupt our ordinary routines at any moment, and reminds us to treat His presence with profound reverence.

Want the full story? Read the complete Fireside Moment or explore the Lyric-Scripture Blueprint in our Joy Tier Deep Dive.

Lyric–Scripture Blueprint (Preview)

Did you know these lyrics come straight from the scriptures?
Explore the full Lyric–Scripture Blueprints and deeper activities in the Joy Tier.

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LYRIC HIGHLIGHT	SCRIPTURE BRIDGE
"He said: Take off your shoes! / You gotta take off your shoes! / You’re standing on Holy Ground."	Exodus 3:5 — "And he said, Draw not nigh hither: put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground."

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Send Someone Else

Have you ever been asked to do something really hard and immediately tried to think of an excuse to get out of it? When God spoke from the burning bush and told Moses to go back to Egypt to free the Israelites, Moses was terrified. He wasn't a brave prince anymore; he was an 80-year-old shepherd hiding in the desert. Instead of accepting the call, Moses gave God a whole list of desperate excuses: I'm a nobody, I'm not a good speaker, I stutter, nobody will believe me, please just send someone else!

But God didn't give up on him, and He didn't expect Moses to rely on his own natural talents. God promised to give Moses the power to do the miracles, the words to say, and even provided his brother Aaron to help him speak. This song explores the very real battle between human fear and divine faith. It reminds us that when God asks us to do hard things, He doesn't expect us to be perfect—He just asks us to trust that He will empower us to do His work.

Want the full story? Read the complete Fireside Moment or explore the Lyric-Scripture Blueprint in our Joy Tier Deep Dive.

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Watch Me Work

Sometimes, when you try to do the right thing, life actually gets harder before it gets better. When Moses finally gathered the courage to stand before Pharaoh and demand the Israelites' freedom, Pharaoh didn't just say no. He punished the enslaved Israelites by making their back-breaking work even worse. The slaves were required to make thousands of mud bricks, but Pharaoh took away the straw they needed to build them, while still demanding they hit the exact same daily quota.

When the exhausted people inevitably failed, they were beaten, and they angrily blamed Moses for making their miserable lives even harder. Moses felt entirely defeated and cried out to God. But God was not panicking; He was setting the stage for a miracle so massive the world would never forget it. This song celebrates the Lord's promise to step in and redeem His people with a "stretched-out arm," showing Egypt and the Israelites exactly who was in charge.

Want the full story? Read the complete Fireside Moment or explore the Lyric-Scripture Blueprint in our Joy Tier Deep Dive.