Beautiful Feet

"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)

"The vision is of the feet of the one who runs from the scene of battle across mountains to the city waiting for news (2 Sam. 18:26) The glorious message of this runner is salvation, meaning 'victorious deliverance'. This is good news or glad tidings. The idea appears in the NT as 'to tell the Good News.' The message Your God reigns stands behind all history; the Lord controls every power on earth." (commentary from my NKJV Study Bible)

"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? And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!"" (Romans 10:14-15)  Feet are usually considered dirty and disgusting, especially after traveling in the dust...thus we see the custom of foot washing in the Bible. However, the feet of those who bring good news/glad tidings of salvation and proclaim God's sovereignty and peace are seen as beautiful and attractive because they do the Lord's work (the Great Commission). They are beautiful instruments of motion in the hand of God. They are "feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace." (Ephesians 6:15) If the coming of a messenger declaring that the captivity at Babylon was ended, was delightful and exciting, how much more so should be the coming of the messenger proclaiming that people can be reconciled to God and be forgiven & free (from the captivity of sin) forever?

"What is the greatest crime in the desert? Finding water and keeping silent." (Eastern proverb) We Christians have found the living water, but...have we been keeping silent? Have we committed the greatest crime in the spiritual desert? We must be vocal and active in sharing the Good News that offers the living water to the thirsty, pardon to the guilty, deliverance to the oppressed, hope to the hopeless, and salvation to the lost.

The character of the messenger should correspond with his/her message. Can others see in our lives the joy of salvation, the beauty of transforming grace, and the peace of putting our trust in God alone? May we, who are to be joyful messengers of the Gospel, always walk in faith and obedience, in love and holiness, exuding grace, mercy, compassion, kindness, forgiveness, and gentleness! Often, people really don't care to hear what we have to say about God, Jesus, the Bible, Heaven, the Good News until they are convinced that we sincerely care about them.

Let's do all we can to reach the lost (especially the unreached) with the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  The harvest is ripe.  The need is urgent.  What are you doing about it?