Shoes of Readiness
If you were asked to run a race tomorrow, what shoes would you wear? Brand new Hokas? The old Nikes at the bottom of your shoe drawer from your high school P.E. class? Broken in On Clouds you got 6 months ago? I don’t run often, but if I did, I’d look for comfort, durability, and something not too clunky.
What if I told you that this race we are beckoned to run in isn’t a far-off fantasy, but actually our reality as Christians? The shoes we run in this race matter if we want to journey in obedience effectively. Ephesians 6:15 tells us to have our “feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace”, and when we allow the Lord to prepare us for what He has planned for us specifically, we will begin to deepen trust in Him and see the purpose behind the things that didn’t make sense before our surrender.
It is undeniable that God has a plan and a purpose for lives; are you ready for that? To be ready is to be prepared, to be willing to say yes to what He is calling you to do. If we are to live a life “poured out like a drink offering”, fighting the good fight, and running the good race the Apostle Paul refers to in 2 Timothy 4:6-7, we have to be ready and live in anticipation of what God has for us next. Whether that looks like making disciples on your college campus, in your office space, or across the world, each of us has a purpose. How can we prepare ourselves for that?
If our feet are fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace alone, we must truly believe that the death and resurrection of Jesus can and will continue to bring calm to the chaos of the lives of the broken. The gospel flowing from our lips, the Spirit pouring out of us, and our God operating in His sovereignty is the most ready we could ever be for the return of our King. He will return just as He said and it is our responsibility to make disciples of all nations in the meantime, for we “do not know the day or the hour” He will return (Matthew 25:13). True readiness is walking by the Spirit, submitting to the will of God, and knowing the gospel truths inside and out.
The enemy of our souls comes to wage war in our lives and our minds and we must be ready to fight. Luke 12:38-40 says “It will be good for those servants whose master finds them ready, even if he comes in the middle of the night or toward daybreak. But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into. You also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.”. In the same way, when King Jesus returns, may He find us laboring for His namesake, stewarding the gifts and time our God has given us to do the work set before us.
Do the habits in all areas of your life reflect a readiness to obey what God has called you to? Do the places your feet carry you to daily indicate health and stability? My prayer for you is that you would ask God to give you eyes to see where He is calling you and make it abundantly clear how He has prepared you for that very thing, strengthening your trust in Him and His sovereignty.
