Shoes

Shoes. We went shopping this morning for new shoes for my little guy. We signed him up to play soccer for the first time this fall so we had to make sure he had all the right gear before his first practice this Thursday. We had to get a pair of shin guards and socks and most importantly new soccer boots. There aren’t a whole lot of places that make soccer shoes for a three year old, but we finally found him a pair and to say he’s excited is an understatement.

Since we’ve been home, he’s had to put them on again and wants to go outside and try them out. I love his new found excitement in playing a game I grew up playing and loved all the way through college.  It’s a sport that has taught me a lot about life and being a teammate. It’s a sport that helped me improve my abilities in the other sports that I played.

As I was putting his shoes on in the sports store, the Bible verses from Ephesians all of a sudden popped into my head, “Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm.  Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace.  In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one;
and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God” - Ephesians 6:13-17.

“As shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the Gospel of peace”(v. 15). The Gospel of Jesus Christ give us peace, peace from the penalty of our own sins, peace with the Father and peace with others. This newfound peace that we receive from the Gospel makes us ready to withstand the wickedness of this world. It makes us ready to share the Good News of Jesus Christ.

My son is ready to start his soccer career this Thursday and it will be an exciting few days as we await the arrival of that first practice. He will be ready to go out there and at least run around and tire himself out for an hour or so. Are you ready?  Not to run around a soccer field, but the share the peace of the Gospel of Jesus Christ?  The world is looking for peace, and they aren’t able to find it in any “thing” but only in the Savior. But the world need you to share that peace with them. That’s our mission and that’s Christ’s command to us, “And he said to them, "Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation.” - Mark 16:15.

Have a great day and God bless.