Now is the time for battle......

4 – Slip Into Your Shoes

For shoes put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared.
Ephesians 6:15

One of the things you will see in country New Zealand is people walking barefoot. They even drive their cars barefoot to go shopping in bare feet. Of course, they are in the minority but it happens because they just love going without shoes….. don’t ask me why! Though I grew up in New Zealand I never learned to be comfortable going barefoot, perhaps because I remember one very painful experience. I was at home playing with friends and running barefoot through the lawn which was full of clover in flower. Bees love clover and they didn’t appreciate my stomping through their territory. One of them expressed his displeasure by leaving his sting in my toe. Ouch – the pain is unforgettable!

The third part of our spiritual armour that we are instructed to put on is shoes. Shoes protect our feet from injury as we walk in ‘rocky’ places and they speed us on our way. There will surely be rocky places in the pathway of life.

Notice that Paul associated the shoes with the gospel of peace. Receiving the gospel message and allowing it to become a part of our lives brings us into a place of peace with God and a place of growing peace with ourselves and others. The world is searching for true and lasting peace – it is to be found only in Jesus Christ. He is our peace.

The shoes of an athlete are important. They are designed to give protection and support and to help the wearer perform at his or her best. The shoes of the gospel are shoes of peace that enable us to stand in the peace of God in any situation. This can be such a testimony to those who don’t know God. When we learn to face trials wearing these shoes, people will be amazed at how peaceful we are. We can then share with them about the goodness of God and so our peace becomes an ‘open door’ to share the gospel with them.

Slip into these shoes today and be ready to walk confidently wherever life may take you.

Prayer: Father, thank you for the peace and protection that you provide for me in so many ways. Please give me open doors to share your goodness and love with others. Amen