I was preparing to enter the worship sanctuary to preach in a church in India. But before I went in, there was a request from the pastor of the church: Would I please take off my shoes? In fact, not just me but everyone else who was to lead in worship that day kicked off their loafers and sandals. No one mounted the pulpit there unless they were shoeless.

Of course, that request has a strong biblical precedent. When Moses stood in the presence of the Lord at the burning bush, God commanded him to remove his sandals. In the ancient Jewish world, to take off one's sandals was a mark of humility and respect.

While I wear shoes in the pulpits of North America, that little episode challenged me to ponder the way I approach worship. First, when I worship, do I really think of myself as coming into the presence of God? We North American worshipers so quickly focus on what we are getting out of the worship experience. Shoeless worship reminded me that the real audience in worship is God himself.

Second, when I worship, do I really humble myself before God? I can't mount a pulpit in stocking feet without putting to death something of my pride. Is my regular approach to God in worship one of humility?