“ and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.”
Ephesians 6:10-18
Here’s the thing I hate ….”shoes”. My feet like to be…”free”. So I’m swallowing my pride and stubbornness from all the times my dad has told me, “Joy, put your shoes on! You’re gonna cut your foot, get a splinter, get sick etc.” I have done that plenty of times… I say that to say…
“When you are going in to battle, you need shoes!” Getting a cut on your foot (which I have gotten plenty of) would deeply enable you from being able to charge into battle. Why?? Your feet will hurt and you’ll be limping !! Duh!
“Feet fitted with the Readiness”
It is so easy to just go through the “motions” of everyday life. It is easy to just make it from one class to the next or one work day to the next. But when we do, that we miss plenty of life changing opportunities of sharing the gospel through our actions. When we are alert and ready, we are looking for ways to make a difference and serve.
We are not just waiting for those opportunities to come to us. We never know when someone who looks up to us, is watching us and our demure throughout day. We also never know what the person beside us is going through. Some people just need a boost on a “down day”. WE can be that boost!! How do we do it??? Take two shots of espresso and GO.SERVE. SMILE. LOVE.
“readiness that comes from the Gospel”
Gospel means… “good news.” The good news of Christ dying for our sins and raising up again on the third day. THAT IS SOME GOOD NEWS!!!! That is the kinda news we need to spread to the whole entire world!!!!! The verse says, “readiness that comes from the gospel…” So maybe I was wrong about the two shots of espresso. Our passion simply comes from how fired up ,the fact that we are living in freedom ,should make us. We take the cross for granted at times. The cross and His resurrection alone should get us jumping for joy and radiating the truth every step we take in life. Where ever our path goes our sole purpose, as Christians, is to advance the kingdom of heaven. It is not to make money or go skydiving or learn how to do magic or whatever is on your bucket list. In every thing you do, do it with a kingdom advancing mindset. The story of the disciple ,Paul ,is a very inspiring one. In Acts he says,” I don’t care about my own life. The most important thing is that I complete my mission, the work that the Lord Jesus gave me– to tell people the good news about Gods grace.” (Acts 20:24) He is a great example of someone living with a kingdom advancing mindset. He put his life on the line to fulfill his mission. He knew everywhere he went ,even in prison, that hardships would face him. We are lucky we live in a country where we are free to spread the Good News and the grace of God. Paul did not get that luxury. Most of the time, all we have to put aside to be God’s light is our comfort. We are to live on a mission. It is our ultimate purpose to be God’s hands and feet.
“GOSPEL OF PEACE”
John 14:27 “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”
Peace does not come from yoga retreats, candle lit baths, essential oils, or long walks on the beach. As nice as those are, they are only temporary. Lasting peace comes from the assurance we have in the cross. We get to live our lives knowing that we will be able to spend eternity in heaven, because our sins are forgiven and forgotten. We may walk through rocky, mountainous terrain, but we are filled with hope in Jesus and his love for us. Life is crazy! At times, it can be discouraging ,tiring and heart wrenching. Worry tends to take over our lives, and we become exhausted running around like a chicken with its head cut off trying to figure everything out ourselves. Paul writes the most moving passages… in chains. Philippians is one of the prison epistles. Philippians 4:6-7 says, ““Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” The “PEACE OF GOD.“ Let me remind you he wrote this in prison. I don’t know about you, but writing about having joy and peace is not what I would be doing in prison. I think I would be balled up in a corner crying, hiding from anything and everything. Paul sets a great example of lying down his life, his comfort, his emotions, his everything for the mission of spreading the Good News! His shoes were on and ready. Are yours?
“Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests.” -Ephesians 6:10-18
