Lace (Wednesday, March 13th)

Wednesday, March 13th

Lace: to draw or pass something (such as a shoelace) through something (such as eyelets)

Ephesians 6:15

As shoes for your feet put on whatever will make you ready to proclaim the gospel of peace.

Jesus came to live among us in God’s perfect time. I know there are many reasons why the time was right, but sometimes I wonder about the seemingly insignificant details in God’s timing. For example, I wonder if Jesus came before photography or video technology so that we would have to live by word and faith alone. We have no way to see the actual footage of Jesus in action.

More than this, I also wonder if Jesus came before the invention of transportation vehicles so that he had to walk everywhere. So much of his ministry happened as he was walking to the next destination. Walking enabled him to encounter people face to face, to pause for teaching, healing or blessing, and to truly be among the people. There was no rushing, no passing someone on the side of the road unnoticed. Then there was the time Jesus even chose to walk on water!

My daily walks have given me an opportunity to ponder in solitude. And yet, I have met and talked with many people I never would have had the chance to know. I meet fellow walkers, people sitting on porches, neighbors working in the yard, and even a few folks who slow their vehicles to greet me before driving away. I have talked with mail carriers and delivery truck drivers. Walking opens a way to connect with others.

We may not have the time to walk everywhere, or even to make daily walks part of our routines, but we DO have opportunities to “walk” with people in other ways. We might walk alongside someone who is suffering by being a listening and caring friend. We might walk to support a good cause, like my dear friends did for me at the Ovarian Cancer Walk a few years ago. We might walk in solidarity with those who are oppressed or discriminated against by standing up for their rights. We might walk among people who are different from us by making an effort to learn and grow in our understanding. We might walk in unity with our faith community as we work together to make a difference for others.

It is time to lace up our shoes or whatever will make (us) ready to proclaim the gospel of peace. Where is God calling us to walk today? We are called to action. We are called to move. We are called to live out our faith, in courage and in love.

“Do not ask God to guide your footsteps if you are unwilling to move your feet.”

~Sean Patrick Flanery

*All definitions are excerpted from the Merriam-Webster online dictionary at https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/

Photo credit: Aaron Burden on Unsplash