As we commence our missions conference this week, I am reminded of the lovely passage in Isaiah. "How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, "Your God reigns!"
Sometimes I wonder why did Isaiah single out the feet for praise? Can you imagine the ingrown toenails, corns, calluses, and strange odors of our athlete’s feet? Why not sing the praise of the messenger himself or his tongue or his smiling face? I suppose perhaps the feet -- mundane, hardworking and necessary -- are most fitting symbols of those qualities God sees as praiseworthy in the missionary. God knows that the spreading of the good news is hard work. It brings the missionary in contact with the filth and grime of the world. It is very rarely a glamorous, limelight activity. Yet, it gives us comfort that if we don't mind hard work and a little dirt on our feet, we certainly qualify to be a messenger of the good news. I think Isaiah praised the feet because they stood in the "doing" gap. The feet take the good news to the mountaintop where it can be proclaimed. Our feet move us to those who need to hear before the tongue can speak and the good news is shared, heard and believed. I think of the feet of Hudson Taylor, as he marched up the plank to board the ship in England for 6 months voyage to the East. It was his theological convictions that led his feet to China. He said: "I would never have thought of going to China had I not believed that the Chinese were lost and needed Christ." I think of the feet of the martyred Jim Elliott, compelled to go to the Auca Indians out of the conviction that simple obedience to his Lord must direct his priorities. "He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose." I think of the feet of a Christian woman whose feet regularly carried her a few miles through the snow, to a university student center so that she could share Christ with the students who needed to hear. I think of the feet of Helen Gilkerson, who had dedicated her whole life to the service of our kinsmen in Taiwan, walked the streets, business establishments, hospitals, and homes in Hsinchu, so the people may come to know Jesus Christ. These are the beautiful feet of which Isaiah speaks, the feet God loves to see in action. How about yours? Is your conviction directly link to your feet? Many are still waiting for God's call, some are called and are yet to "go", but make sure we don't miss out the opportunity. Remember always that the great Commission is for all of us, "Go and make disciples of all nations." Comments are closed.
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