Beautiful Feet

 BEAUTIFUL FEET

“How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth!” - Isaiah 52:7

I'm glad that I wear shoes in public. I have ugly feet. While shoes provide stability and comfort to my feet, they also keep my feet from being a public spectacle. After shattering my ankle in 2003, I had to undergo therapy to regain mobility in my ankle. I pitied the physical therapist that had to work with my right foot. I'll spare you the details, but she should have received combat pay for what she endured.

I am like most Americans. I don't give much attention to my feet unless I have problems with them. While I wash my feet like everyone else, I don't spend much time thinking about them. You probably don't either. If we're honest about it, our feet tend to get dirty often. They may have an odor that is embarrassing.

Yet Isaiah 52:7 talks about beautiful feet: “How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth!” Why are these feet so beautiful?

Obviously, television, radio and the internet didn't exist in Biblical times. Newspapers were not in circulation either. Instead, news traveled by means of a messenger. News traveled by foot. It would be great to be a runner who had good news to share!

We have a message to share with a dying world. It is good news. It is the news of everlasting life, available through Jesus Christ. To perishing souls, this is the news they so desperately need to hear. It needs to be shared across this globe. But it also needs to be shared across the street. When God opens the minds of people to understand the good news, it is like giving cool water to a thirsty man. When someone drinks of the living water, it changes them. They have joy in their souls. They are happy in the Lord. They celebrate the event and even thank the person who shared the good news with them.

In foreign lands, missionaries will carry this news to unreached people groups. Upon receiving the news, some of these new converts actually kiss the feet of the missionaries. The feet that had traveled so far just to share this message was honored with a symbol of their gratitude.

So if the Lord directs your feet to visit a neighbor, a relative or even a stranger and they hear the Gospel from your mouth and receive it by faith, they will praise the Lord for such a great salvation. They may also thank the Lord for the beautiful feet that came their way so they could hear the truth.

Paul instructed believers to put on the whole armor of God. Notice that you are to have, “... your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace” (Ephesians 6:15). We are to be prepared for battle, with the very Gospel that changes lives. Because of the Gospel, our feet will walk the right path. Our feet will go to rescue souls from the enemy's camp. Our feet will march forward in triumph because of the Gospel.

Our feet are led by the Gospel, prepared by the Gospel and used for the spread of the Gospel. Some will even consider them to be beautiful feet.

Yet there is something even greater.

When Jesus cast the demons out of the wild man of the Gadarenes, the residents came and found the new convert in his right mind sitting at the feet of Jesus. When Jesus visited the home of Mary and Martha, Martha was busy preparing the meal, but Mary sat at His feet and heard His word. A sinner woman kissed the feet of Jesus, washing His feet with her tears and wiping them with her hair. Many came to Him, falling at His feet, seeking His aid or simply worshiping Him.

It was His feet that walked to meet the needs of many. His feet walked the shores of Galilee, spreading the Good News. It was His feet that walked up to Calvary. It was His feet that were nailed to the cross.

One day we will see Him face to face. At His feet we will fall in worship. At His feet we will cast our crowns and rewards. There are no feet like His.

Truly, the feet of Jesus are beautiful feet.