These may be killer shoes, at least in the sense that if I tried to walk in them they just might kill me! They are not, however, the kind of shoes we'll be talking about today. Instead, picture the footwear you would have seen worn by a Roman soldier a few thousand years ago...
Welcome to my series on the armor of God based on one of my all-time favorite books, "Sparkling Gems from the Greek" by Rick Renner. So far we've learned about the belt of truth and the breastplate of righteousness, and today we're going to be focusing on "your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace." ~ Ephesians 6:15
As I mentioned in a previous post, when Paul began speaking to the Ephesians about armor, his listeners would have immediately thought of the Roman soldiers they often saw patroling the streets. They weren't wearing sandals as we so often see them depicted; they were wearing killer shoes. By this I mean that the shoes they wore were vicious weapons in and of themselves.
These shoes had metal spikes protruding from the bottom which, when planted firmly in the ground, held the soldier in place, making him virtually immovable during an attack. These spikes were also used as a weapon to stomp or kick the enemy.
Above his shoes, the soldier would have been wearing greaves (think metal shin guards) that covered his legs from his feet to his knees. They were as uncomfortable as they look, but they were essential to protect the calves as the soldier marched through rough terrain, allowing him to keep walking regardless of obstacles. Greaves also protected him from broken legs as a result of kicks from the enemy.
Similarly, the peace of God protects us from the enemy's attacts. Satan may try to disrupt your life and steal your attention with negative events, but his attempts will fail because God's peace protects you from hurt and empowers you to keep marching forward despite the obstacles. Just as the spikes allowed the soldier to stand firm when pushed by the enemy, so God's peace will hold you in place when satan tries to push you around.
The word "fitted" used in Ephesians 6:15 means "to bind tightly." Loose fitting shoes aren't much of a help. Just as the soldiers had to bind their shoes tightly to their feet, so we must firmly tie God's peace into our lives. If we wear our peace loosely, it won't be long before life knocks it out of place.
So how do we obtain this peace of God?
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." ~ Philippians 4:6-7
The peace of God comes through a consistent prayer life. As children of God we have instant access into His presence, and His presence is our key to peace. Peace gives strength, perseverance and endurance and keeps you from being vulnerable to people, circumstances and events.
When you have the peace of God ruling in your life, satan is frustrated. No matter what he throws at you, you don't get riled because you have the peace that passes all understanding - even your own!
I'd love to hear your experience of this peace that transcends all understanding! Was there a time when you felt like a bystander rather than the one in the midst of the circumstance? Have you ever wondered why you felt peace when the situation called for panic?
Lord, thank you for those times when you've allowed us to experience Your peace when everything around us seems to call for panic. Help us to remain close to you so that not only do we experience peace, but those around us do as well.
Lisa
Other posts in this series:
Armor of God (overview)
Are You Buckled Up? - The Belt of Truth
Guard Your Heart - The Breastplate of Rightousness
Killer Shoes - Feet Fitted with Readiness (YOU ARE HERE!)
Impenetrable - The Shield of Faith
Guard Your Mind - The Helmet of Salvation
Time to Play Offense - The Sword of the Spirit
Linking up with
Sharing His Beauty,
Hear it on Sunday, Use it on Monday,
Playdates with God, Inspire Me Monday,
Soli Deo Gloria,
Excellent post!
Thanks for visiting my site.
I don't know that I've ever felt like a bystander even in the midst of lousy circumstances. But I certainly have had many times when my mind was caught in doing battle against the enemy, and I felt lost and like life was nearly hopeless, and I was stuck; then as I began to quote scriptures or make myself belt out the old hymns (even though I didn't feel like doing that), the spiritual assault has suddenly lifted and I've been at rest, at least, if not lifted up in His peace -- though the outward circumstances didn't change.
Once I had parked in front of a store and was reaching into the car to get my toddler out of his car seat. Some teenager came up with a gun and demanded my purse. Fear rushed in but was almost immediately replaced by a strong sense of peace that God, not this kid, was in control. The kid inexplicably just ran off.
Loved the historical detail in this post!
Jan (visiting from SDG)
Lisa, I have that book--Sparkling Gems from the Greek! I love it too. I'm going to have to dig it out and re-read this portion because this is really good. And those killer shoes up top? Well. They just scare me. :)