In His Strength

I was wearing my hiking shoes to school the other day. It was my class day so I dressed down: jeans, t-shirt, comfortable shoes. I was walking through the arboretum looking down at my shoes and remembering all the places these shoes have been with me.
I bought them in Colorado. I took them to Greece; walked through Athens, the Acropolis, ancient Corinth and modern Thesoliniki.

I took them to China. I hiked the Great Wall in them twice, walked the streets of Hong Kong, Shang Hai, Guilin, Kunming, Xi’an.

They have been faithful travel companions, always prepared to take care of my feet.
And I got to thinking about Ephesians 6 talking about the armor of God. Verse 15 says, “with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.”

Am I ready? Are you ready? For what; I don’t know. There is something about preparedness here. Prepared to go where you need to go, do what needs to be done.

And when I think about preparedness I am drawn to Mark 9:14 – 29.
Jesus and his three closest disciples descend the mount of transfiguration to find the remaining disciples arguing with a man. A crowd has gathered.
The disciples couldn’t drive an evil spirit from a boy; the man’s son.
Jesus approaches, asks some questions of the father and heals the boy of his enslavement.
Later the disciples asked why they had no effect on the demon.
Jesus told them, “this kind can come out only by prayer.”

Were the disciples ready for this foe? It doesn’t seem to be.
And I look at my life, and pause. I can only say I need you Lord.
And He gives peace for the journey, and He gives strength for each step.
I’m feeling so restless now. I can taste the end of the semester and yet it is not over yet.
I know I have much still to do, but He calls me to rest. Peace, be still.
And tomorrow I will say,
“Your grace is sufficient for me, for Your power is made perfect in my weakness.”