Beautiful Feet

How beautiful are the feet of the faithful who walk in the light of life and bring good news to others. 

“In the course of time, David defeated the Philistines and subdued them…David also defeated the Moabites…He put garrisons in the Aramean kingdom…The Lord gave David victory wherever he went. When Tou king of Hamath heard that David had defeated the entire army of Hadadezer king of Zobah, he sent…all kinds of articles of gold, of silver and of bronze. King David dedicated these articles to the Lord, as he had done with the silver and gold he had taken from all these nations. The Lord gave David victory wherever he went. David reigned over all Israel, doing what was just and right for all his people.” 1 Chronicles 18:1-17

Your feet are a unique feature of your body. They can take you places few and far wide. David’s feet often took him into a fight and he was successful wherever he went. He saw every victory as a gift and dedicated all that he gained to God. 

Is it possible that we could learn something about how to walk faithfully and trust in God from David? Where will your feet take you today? What roads will you travel? Do you give much thought to your steps or ever put yourself in another person’s shoes? 

David’s walk was enlightened by how he looked at each step of the journey. The text said he did what was right and just. His desire was to walk in a way that pleased God. If you are ever unsure of which way to go, choose to do what is right and just and you will always be blameless in God’s eyes. 

David’s measure of success was not more gold, it was more God. Is that yours? As you increase, do you give more to God. He did not just fight to fight. He fought to do the Father’s will and make a place of peace for God’s people. Will your feet take you closer to your Heavenly Father or will you find yourself further away at the end of the day? 

“Be merciful to me, my God, for my enemies are in hot pursuit; all day long they press their attack. My adversaries pursue me all day long; in their pride many are attacking me. When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. In God, whose word I praise— in God I trust and am not afraid. What can mere mortals do to me? All day long they twist my words; all their schemes are for my ruin. They conspire, they lurk, they watch my steps, hoping to take my life. I am under vows to you, my God; I will present my thank offerings to you. For you have delivered me from death and my feet from stumbling, that I may walk before God in the light of life.” Psalms 56:1-13

Feet do not take action without direction. Our minds and hearts send signals down our synapses that can send us into fight, flight, or faith. David felt his enemies surround him and heard others attacking him. Do you see his response? 

David fought his battles on his knees. Before taking a step he turned to his source of strength. He prayed and he praised and he pursued God. He was honest about how he felt and fought the holy fight by seeking first the kingdom. 

Fear is the one factor in our lives that can often cause us to flee or feel deep worry. What fears are on your mind? How are you dealing with them? David said when I am afraid I trust God. He did not say I am never afraid, he said I live in the truth that no fear can stand before God. 

David was great at comparison. When he looked at the strength of mankind and the strength of the Maker of mankind he only found comfort in giving his heart to the Holy One. As he remembers how God has been faithful to him, he finds the courage to keep going forward. 

He knew that he did not just coincidentally survive the conflicts or get lucky when his life was on the line. David said God delivered me that I would do His will. My God saved me so He could send me. What does  it mean to you to walk in the light of life? How does that differ from traveling in a dark direction?

“How beautiful your sandaled feet…I belong to my beloved, and his desire is for me. Come, my beloved, let us go to the countryside, let us spend the night in the villages. Let us go early to the vineyards to see if the vines have budded, there I will give you my love.” Song of Songs 7:1-12

There’s an amazing connection between Romans 10 and song of songs 7. The beautiful feet described in this passage describe the bride. Later in the New Testament, Paul wrote about the beautiful feet of the beloved bringing the good news of Jesus to others. 

The truth is your feet were made to travel. They were given to you as a gift from God so you could go. The question is what will you do with that gift. Will you leave your comfort and help others know Christ? Will you stay where you are or let sin cause you to stumble. 

We were made to be in the light as Jesus is in the light. The one constant we hear from Jesus is to come and follow. He wants to lead you on grand adventures to new places whether it is in the city or countryside so that you can share your story. Where does He want to take you today?  Will you let Him lead?

“Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon marched against Jerusalem with his whole army and laid siege to it. And on the ninth day…the city wall was broken through. When Zedekiah king of Judah and all the soldiers saw them, they fled; But the Babylonian army pursued them and overtook Zedekiah in the plains of Jericho. Then he put out Zedekiah’s eyes and bound him with bronze shackles to take him to Babylon. The Babylonians set fire to the royal palace and the houses of the people and broke down the walls of Jerusalem. Nebuzaradan commander of the imperial guard carried into exile to Babylon the people who remained in the city…But Nebuzaradan…left behind in the land of Judah some of the poor people, who owned nothing; and at that time he gave them vineyards and fields.”

Jeremiah 39:1-18

We reap what we sow. Zedekiah and the people of Israel had walked unfaithfully and followed other Gods. They pursued their pleasure and did as they pleased. The problem with that is that is they were walking down the path that leads to a painful death. Time and again God warned them to turn, but they only seemed to pick up the pace that went on the wrong direction. 

Eventually, their feet had to flee. They ran away and tried to escape the coming wrath, but all the evil they had done caught up with them. They were exiled and some executed by the Babylonians. Imagine how much they must have wished they had just walk in the light rather than the night. Imagine how much regret went into that run. Will we learn from their mistakes? 

Jesus said blessed it are the poor and in an interesting twist it is the poor that stand firm on the day the enemy advances against the city of peace. It was the poor who had trusted God and God delivered them. The same is true for us. As we humble our hearts and listen to our Shepherd, He leads us in the light of life. 

“On that day a great persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered…Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went. Philip went down to a city in Samaria and proclaimed the Messiah there. When the crowds heard Philip and saw the signs he performed, they all paid close attention to what he said…Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Go south to the road…he met an Ethiopian eunuch…Philip ran up to the chariot and heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet. “Do you understand what you are reading?” Philip asked. “How can I,” he said, “unless someone explains it to me?…Philip began with that very passage of Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus. As they traveled along the road, they came to some water and the eunuch said, “Look, here is water. What can stand in the way of my being baptized?”  Acts 8:2, 4-36

Philip’s feet were beautiful because they carried the good news of Jesus. God’s people had been scattered. They must have been scared, but the truth is they were sent. Philip did not know where God was sending him, but God did. He has a plan and He has purposes for all He does. 

All it takes is one step of faith to lead to the next. One faithful step led Philip to one person who needed hope. That is what beautiful feet do. They walk in the light of life, follow the voice of God, and bring healing and hope everywhere they go. We are the bride of Christ, and our feet were never meant to remain safely planted in one place. They were made beautiful to bring good news and invite others to the banquet feast. 

Fear may tell you to flee, comfort may tell you to stay, and sin may lead you down roads that do not please God. Regardless of where the road of life has taken you, we are always just one step from intimacy with God. Take a step to draw closer to Him today. 

How? Do what is right and just. Walk in the light. Trust God when you are afraid. He saved you so He could send you, and as you follow Him, He will lead you to people who need to know how you made it through. Like David said, he delivered me from death that I may walk in the light of life. Tell others how God has helped you that you might help them find peace. 

Where will your feet take you today? There is someone on your road who needs encouragement, healing, hope, or to hear the good news about Jesus. Take one step at a time, and may our feet become beautiful because everywhere we go, we bring the hope of Jesus with us.