Tag: beautiful feet
Beautiful feet!
Scripture reading for August 1st: Isaiah 52-57
When you think of beauty, are the feet the first part of your body to come to mind? Isaiah, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, made particular mention of the feet of those who would bring the “good news” of God reigning on Zion. “How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, “Your God reigns!” (Isaiah 52:7) God would Himself come to Zion and lay bare His holy arm and all the earth would see His salvation! (Isaiah 52:10)
Isaiah saw the servant as “high and lifted up and highly exalted”. This servant would act wisely, but would be marred and disfigured. In His suffering, He would sprinkle many nations and bring His salvation to those who did not know! (Isaiah 52:13-15) Isaiah saw this servant as one with no natural beauty that would attract us to Him. (Isaiah 53:2) He was actually despised and rejected by men and was a man who knew sorrow intimately. He took our infirmities and carried our sorrows but we assumed that God was punishing Him! (Isaiah 53:3-4)
When we think description of Isaiah’s description of the Servant and what He did for us, we better understand beautiful feet! Our Savior walked on this earth on human feet! He willingly walked in total obedience to God so that we can walk in healing, salvation and freedom! He offered His feet to be nailed to a cross for us! He was “high and lifted up” on that cross! Those feet took our Savior to the place of suffering on our behalf.
We can continue Jesus’ mission by taking this message of “Good News” to a lost and dying world. We may not be much to look at, but the beauty of our feet is that they are obediently walking in the path of Jesus Christ! “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matthew 28:19-20
Beautiful Feet!
Scripture reading for July 31st: Isaiah 52-57
When you think of beauty, are the feet the first thing you think of? Isaiah, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, made particular mention of the feet of those who would bring the “good news”. “How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, “Your God reigns!” (Isaiah 52:7) God would come to Zion and all the earth would see His salvation! (Isaiah 52:10)
Isaiah saw the servant as “high and lifted up and highly exalted”. This servant would act wisely, but would be marred and disfigured. He would not even look human anymore! In His suffering, He would sprinkle many nations and bring understanding of salvation to those who did not know! (Isaiah 52:13-15) Isaiah saw this servant as one with no natural beauty that would attract us to Him. (Isaiah 53:2) He was actually despised and rejected by men and was a man who knew sorrow and grief intimately. He took our infirmities and carried our sorrows but we assumed that God was punishing Him. (Isaiah 53:3-4) In actuality, this Servant was willingly pierced and crushed for our sins and iniquities. He took wounds for us that brought us healing!
Our Savior walked on this earth on human feet! He willingly walked in total obedience to God so that we could walk in healing, salvation and freedom! He offered His feet to be nailed to a cross for us! He was “high and lifted up” on that cross! Those feet took our Savior to the place of suffering on our behalf! What beautiful feet and what great good news He brought to us!
Now, we can have “beautiful feet” too! We can continue the mission of our dear Savior by obeying Him and taking this message of “Good News” to a lost and dying world. We may not be much to look at, but our feet are beautiful too when they are obediently walking in the path of Jesus Christ! “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matthew 28:19-20
Reaching the Jews
Scripture reading for July 27th: Romans 10:13-11:12
God’s plan for reaching His people, the Jews, was the same as reaching the Gentiles. “Everyone who calls on the Name of the Lord will be saved.” “How, then, can they call on the One they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the One of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?” (Romans 10:13-14) Both Jew and Gentile must believe in Jesus Christ as the Son of God and One who took their penalty for broken law. They must call on Jesus in faith and they will be saved.
It is a very simple Gospel message that must be heard by those who need it. The way God chose to send this message was through those who did believe. These would go and preach this message to the Jews and Gentiles who did not know about it. “For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know Him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe.” (1st Corinthians 1:21)
But hearing the message alone was not enough for salvation. Many Jews heard the message but did not accept it. Faith comes by hearing the message, but believing is a choice, not something forced upon people. God sent His messengers throughout the world to preach the message. Jews heard it, but they were stubborn and obstinate and refused to believe and act on it. (Romans 10:16-21) God opened the hearts of the Gentiles and many of them received.
Next, Paul addressed the concern that because of their stubbornness, God had rejected His people. Paul stated that God had not and that a remnant was saved by grace through receiving the message of Christ. Those that closed their hearts were made blind and dull. They could always repent and turn back. God’s plan was to save the Gentiles and through their blessing, provoke the Israelites to jealousy and a return to faith through Jesus Christ. (Romans 10:11-12)
The Church should always pray for the Jews and be ready to share Christ with them. God has not rejected Israel. They have a blindness that can be cured by faith in their Messiah, Jesus Christ. We have received the riches of God’s grace because of their stubbornness, but not to boast! May God bring peace to Jerusalem! (Psalm 122:6-9)