We prepare for our day each day. We have our routines. We may pour a cup of coffee, or brush our teeth or shave or all the above. Paul is reminding us to also be ready to go into our day prepared the bring peace, the good news of peace.

How? Sometimes we sit a moment in prayer with God. God is already at peace with us.

“For Jesus, there are no countries to be conquered, no ideologies to be imposed, no people to be dominated. There are only children, women and men to be loved.” Henri Nouwen

Zachariah, the father of John the Baptist, says these words about his son John:
And you, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High;
for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for him,
77 to give his people the knowledge of salvation
through the forgiveness of their sins,
78 because of the tender mercy of our God,
by which the rising sun will come to us from heaven
79 to shine on those living in darkness
and in the shadow of death,
to guide our feet into the path of peace.”

When the path is dark and we can’t see where we are going, guide our feet unto the path of peace. Zachariah reminds us his son John the Baptist guides us. It might be we have to look at ourselves. John the Baptist convicted hearts so they saw their need to change. Sometimes the disequilibrium is God’s way of getting our attention. Tossing and turning in sleep because God is at work in us.

Guide our feet into the path of peace. The word of God is a lamp unto our feet and light unto our path. In addition to praying, to listening and seeking guidance each morning we can read the Bible and find light, find a path forward.

When Jesus was born remember the message of the angels? “Glory to God in the highest and on earth, peace good will toward all.” Praise belongs to God, encouragement belongs to people. Glory to God in the highest, peace to those on earth.

At the end of the gospels, after the resurrection what does Jesus say to the disciples? Does he say, go get even? No, he says do not be afraid, and breathes on them and says peace be with you. The message to the followers of Christ, peace, peace, peace. Both the old and new testament has the same word as breath and spirit, or Hebrew and Greek, the same word for breath and spirit –
Ruach (Hebrew) and Pneuma(Greek)
As we shod our feet in preparation to bring the gospel of peace, we can breath, breath the spirit of God. With each breath we are reminded of our dependence on the spirit of God.

How lovely on the mountains are the feet of them who bring good news, announcing peace.

It doesn’t say how lovely are the mountains. I think mountains are majestic and very beautiful. Many years ago many cultures saw mountains as obstacles, not a thing of beauty. Here it states, how lovely on the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news announcing peace.

I have never thought feet were particularly lovely. Yet the feet of those who bring good news, the gospel of peace, that is worth encouraging, worth noting.

Years ago, I talked to a monk named Fran Dorff. I asked him what he wanted to leave people after they had known him for awhile. He said, “No footprints.” He wanted to live a life of faith, love and peace without having to get credit. He got that from Psalm 77:19 –
Psalm 77:19
19 Your way was through the sea,
your path through the mighty waters,
yet your footprints were unseen.

Perhaps when I try to do it my way because I do not see or hear God at work, I can remember, no footprints. God is at work even when we are unaware. Not there for the credit. Can I as well, get ready each day to bring the message of peace which is good news to the world even if no one gives me credit? May it be so.

How lovely on the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news announcing peace.

Sometimes we have a yes, but moment in sermons. Yes, speak peace, be peace, give the good news of peace to a world in conflict.

But this does not mean there is never a time to speak up. Jeremiah gives a stark warning to those who are living well and wanting those suffering to not complain. He said it twice:

Jeremiah 6:14
“From the least to the greatest, all are greedy for gain; prophets and priests alike,
all practice deceit. 14 They dress the wound of my people
as though it were not serious.
‘Peace, peace,’ they say,
when there is no peace.

Jeremiah 8
11 They dress the wound of my people
as though it were not serious.
“Peace, peace,” they say,
when there is no peace.
12 Are they ashamed of their detestable conduct?
No, they have no shame at all;
they do not even know how to blush.

The prophets and the priests – in other words both the religious and the justice system. The church and the state are both practicing greed and saying peace and putting a band-aid on the pain and the wounds when there is no peace for some. He goes on to say, have you no shame? Some do not even know how to blush. No shame, no conscience. No embarrassment at ones privilege in the face of another’s pain.

There are times to speak and find your voice. Especially when with others who cannot speak, who have no power.

Our faith is a balance between acting and being. Remember the song, “What becomes of the broken hearted?” A psalm reminds us: “[God] heals the broken hearted and binds up their wounds.”

We need an armor. Protection does not mean we are immune from pain. It means we have a God who gives peace that no one can comprehend. A sign that we are a child of God is when we see it, and live it. We have a sword, of the word. You know some sermons feel like a shotgun, a general message that is spread to all. Other times the word is sword that pierces right to our soul.

With the armor of God on, Paul gives us something for the offense, not defense. But the offense is not attack but shod with the readiness to bring peace and good news.

Let there be peace on earth, and let it begin with me. Where there is hatred, let us show love.

How lovely are those feet. Are we read? Have we shod our feet with that readiness to head in the direction of peace?

Let’s put on those shoes, let us go. AMEN.