…and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel
of peace. Ephesians 6:15
The cry for peace is as old as the dawn of history and as fresh as the
morning newspaper. Several centuries before Christ, the prophet Isaiah said,
“How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news,
who proclaim peace….” (Isaiah 52:7)
When the Hebrew prophets foretold the coming of a divine deliverer, they said
one of his names would be “Prince of Peace.” When the
Savior was born, the note struck by the angelic chorus in the nativity story of
the shepherds was “…and on earth peace to men on whom his favor
rests.” (Luke 2:14)
Therefore, it is not surprising that when describing the armor of God, Paul
included the element of peace. As God’s peacemakers, our sandals enable us to
march into circumstances to bring peace, not destruction. Christ calls people
who have made their peace with God to fight for fellowship, not against
it (Hebrews 12:2-3). So we must be ready to go where God sends us with the message of
peace, forgiveness and hope. We may be called to march right to the gates of
hell—which He promised would not hold us back (Matthew 16:18).
It is in this sense that we can be considered “waging” peace.
Your life thus centers on the good news of the kingdom. Everything else comes
second. Know how to share the good news. Understand what it has done in your
life. See how it can help others. Ask God to give you opportunities to share
with others. Be alert for the opportunities. Be prepared to take advantage of
them…standing strong in your sandals of peace.
Brother Alagaw in Ethiopia started an aggressive gospel ministry in his
region. People accepted the Lord through his preaching. The people of the
traditional church colluded with the Muslim fundamentalists to fight Alagaw and
his followers. They said, “These people will destroy our country, nation and
religions if we do not stop them immediately.”
Alagaw and his followers organized their first evangelistic meeting at the
local stadium. They hired sound systems for this big occasion. Early in the
morning they started with their outreach. At about 10:00 a.m. a big crowd
approached the stadium. Without saying a word, they destroyed the sound system
and a lot of other property. Some believers went to the local police station,
but the police refused to help. During the attack, a pregnant woman lost her
baby.
After this incident other forms of harassment followed. During church
services stones were thrown on the roof of the church building. Faceless people
burned down their church building. However, the Lord has blessed their ministry
and their peaceful responses with one hundred and twenty new believers.
RESPONSE: Today I put on the sandals of peace and stand firm in the good
news of the Gospel.
PRAYER: Lord, may Your peace shine through me today and be a light to all
I encounter.