The Chowchilla News Pastor’s Commentary by John Parker for Jan= uary 10, 2007

BEAUTIFUL FEET, = DUSTY SOLES

The Chowchilla News Pastor’s Commentary by John Parker for= February 7, 2007=

“Putting your best foot for= ward” need never concern most of us since we only have two feet. Proper grammar compels us to = put our better foot forward. Will= iam Shakespeare got this right when, in his play “King John,” he pe= nned, "Nay, but make haste; the better foot before." =

I’m not sure which of my tw= o feet is “the better foot.” They seem about the same to me except that one is left and one is right making t= hem exact opposites. This may prove the= adage “Opposites are not different” which I’ve been known to qu= ote in counseling when someone says something like, “I’m not at all= like my father!”

Instead of having concern over th= e “better foot” the Bible is more interested in our having “beautiful fee= t.” It says, “How beautiful= on the mountains are the feet of the messenger who brings good news, the good = news of peace and salvation, the news that the God of Israel reigns!” (Isa= iah 52:7; Romans 10:15) The beaut= y of these feet is that they belong to a messenger whose is crossing over mounta= ins to bring good news of peace, salvation, and God’s power, to those who need to hear it. Feet become = beautiful when their MOTIVATION and DIRECTION is toward bringing God’s “g= ood news of peace” to those in need of it, and open to it.

For the PREPARATION of your beaut= iful feet the Bible has a piece of spiritual armor to put on them. “For shoes, put on the peace = that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared.” (Ephesi= ans 6:15) These shoes prepare us so that we may stand for the Lord, “in t= he evil day” (6:13) when the going gets rough. And, since Jesus said that each day= has “enough evil of its own” (Matthew 6:34) it is good to put these shoes on everyday. <= /p>

“The idea (of these shoes) = seems to be that the mind is to be steadied, kept from fear and flutter, by means= of the good news of peace—the good news that we are at peace with God; a= nd ‘if God be for us, who can be against us?!’” (The Pulpit Commentary= )

My wife and I put our “gosp= el of peace” shoes on everyday, along with the other pieces of armor listed= in Ephesians 6, when we pray together. We simply say, “Lord, in Jesus name we put on the shoes of pea= ce…”

Now, if the “good news of p= eace” that you bring is not received there is a foot PROTECTION provided for that= situation too. Jesus says, “When&= #8230;they receive you…heal the sick…and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’ B= ut whenever…they do not receive you, go…and say, ‘Even the d= ust of your town that clings to our feet we wipe off against you. Nevertheless = know this, that the kingdom of God has come near.’” (Luke 10:8-11) <= /span>

So, To get a foot-up the next tim= e you step forth!

FIRST, check your MOTIVATION by a= sking yourself if you are bringing “the good news of peace” or if your feet are still “swift to shed blood” (Romans 3:15) and bringing harm to others and to the kingdom of God.

SECOND, check your PREPARATION by making sure you’ve placed the “Gospel of Peace” on your f= eet through a prayerful declaration.

THIRD, be willing to use Jesus’ PROT= ECTION by shaking the dust of rejection off of your feet. That’s when we back away, tu= rn around, and shake-it-off of our spirit. That’s when we acknowledge th= at we can’t force the “good news of peace” onto those who don&#= 8217;t want such peace. That’s when we refuse to allow their rejection to cl= ing to us.

May your physical soles, your spi= ritual soles, and the soul of your heart be beautiful this day!---Pastor John

The Reverend John Parker facilita= tes Christ’s abundant living at ChristChurch of Chowchilla located at 260 N. Sixth Street (at Riverside Avenue). Sunday Celebrations are at 10 AM.<= span style=3D'mso-spacerun:yes'> Email Pastor John at: johnparker@christchur= chchowchilla.com or phone 209.726.0119