Shoes
On this beautiful morning I watched the sun rise gently over the Coast Range with its soft pastel colors of pink, orange and light yellow. The reflection on the waves seemed to call me for an early morning walk to the beach. I could see a few early morning risers had already started their day walking along the glistening sand bending down to pick up the sand dollars that had graced the beach during the night.
As I began to prepare for my walk, I sat down in my rocking chair and began thinking about God’s plan for me and how he directs my steps. As I tied my shoe, I began to reminisce about an early morning with my grandson Preston. Preston was created with perpetually running energy! So full of life with a need to explore everything and all times it was Go, Go, Go! He would enter the room and you could feel the vibrancy of his spirit. It was infectious. As I started the conversation with him saying, “Good morning, Preston” I quickly knew that was the end of my words for the next 30 minutes or so. His chatter would begin with, “Grandma. Let’s cook breakfast, I am hungry. What’s for breakfast? Grandma. Let’s paint. Grandma. Can we go to the beach? Grandma. Let’s ride our bikes to the beach?” The words and energy poured out of him like a fast-moving freight train with no brakes. He knew the plans he wanted to accomplish for the day and that’s the way it was going to be. He just wanted to GO!
As I watched the ball of energy race around the living room, anxious to get on with the day, there was one small, yet necessary, task he did not plan. I sat down in my rocking chair, (probably because my energy was spent watching him) and said, “Preston, go find your shoes and come and sit in front of me.” Running down the 3 flights of stair to find his shoes, I could hear him chattering, then singing, and then yelling from the entry door, “Grandma, I found my shoes”! As he began to ascend the 33 steps, I could hear his excited voice singing, “I found my shoes, I found my shoes….”!
He sat in front of me and put the shoes in my lap that were still sandy from the previous day of walking on the beach. The shoelaces were all tangled and knotted because by the end of the previous day he had taken them off without untying them. We finally got them put on his feet after his squirming and fidgeting.
As I bend down to tie them, he quickly scurried off to the kitchen to get his juice and say, “Grandma, let’s fix breakfast so we can go to the beach”. “Preston”, I said, “we must tie your shoes before we go to the beach. You know what else, Grandma knows the plan and she is excited about getting there too, but first we have to tie your shoes.” Ephesians 6:15 (Amplified). At that moment, when I saw this scene play out in front of me, I realized that I must tie my shoelaces or let God help me tie my shoelaces so we can get on to His plan. He is so excited about His plan, but I must have my shoes tied to walk the plan with Him. Isn’t it amazing the simplicity in thought of how God wants us to walk with Him to His dream for us? He enjoys the journey. He walks with us, picks us up if we stumble, dusts us off, cleans our face from the dirt and mud caused by the tears and then ties our shoelaces. He delights in us.
What kind of shoes do you need for your walk with God today? Would they be the rubber boots to help you walk through the deep mud puddles? Would they be hiking boats to climb the steep mountain cliffs, reassuring a true grip to the jagged rocks? Would they be your dancing shoes to enjoy the lighthearted song of the Lord and dance with Him? Would they be your tubbies to keep your feet from slipping on the slimy rocks as you cross over the river? Maybe it is your favorite running shoes that cause you to move swiftly along the course? Or maybe, just maybe, your soft slippers just to keep your feet warm on a cold wintery evening?
No matter where you go in life the Lord says to put on your shoes. They keep you stable and prepared. “And having shod (fastened) the shoes upon your feet in preparation to face the enemy, with firm footed stability, the promptness and readiness produced by the good news of the Gospel of peace.”
So, put on your shoes, tie them and walk with God intentionally, for He knows His dream for you. Let Him help you tie your shoes. Let Him help you find the right shoe for the journey and, if need be, He can help you put them on and tie them. His shoes bring peace. His shoes are always in fashion for the day, no matter where you go, and He has chosen the correct shoes.
Have fun today. Enjoy your walk with the One who loves you the most. He is excited about your day, so don’t be afraid to take the steps along with Him, hand in hand.
