Brand New Boots....

Do you remember that old song, "These Boots Were Made for Walking"?  I was thinking about that today.  So odd how old songs will sometimes pop into mind seemingly out of nowhere leaving you wondering what reminded you of them.  

"These boots were made for walking and that's just what they'll do.  One of these days these boots are gonna walk all over you.  Are you ready boots?  Start walking."  

I used to have a pair of boots just like that.  Being angry and hurt with feet to rush in for revenge.   The key word here being "used".  One of the definitions in the Merriam-Webster dictionary for the word used is "accustomed, habituated."  Pretty fitting in this case.  I was accustomed to fighting for myself at one time and I was wearing my war boots.  Sometimes I habituated the wrong places and wore my party boots..... I could go on but I know you get the picture.  

Let me share a jewel with you found in Ephesians 1:18-23 "I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength, which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come.  And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way." 

Hmmm..... all things are placed under his feet.... guess that means our walking boots are of little effect.  Jesus already has it all under control.  We have a hope now and are able to look forward to a bright future, no more worries of what was in the past.  2 Corinthians 5:17 says, "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!"  So, why is it that we keep trying to put on our old shoes?  Why is that we return again and again to those things that we are "used" to?  Those things that we have grown accustomed to and those places inside of us that we have habituated.  It is a lie from the enemy that those old things are more comfortable.  He would have us believe that we can never escape from those old boots and just when we are feeling good about our progress we either slip them back on or someone comes along to say, "hey, aren't you the girl that used to wear the walking boots?"  

Yep, that WAS me.  But God is doing a new thing in me.  He is making a way in the desert and bringing up springs in the wasteland that was my soul.  Now I wear the preparation of the gospel of peace on my feet!  I like how the Weymouth New Testament states Ephesians 6:15 "as well as the shoes of the Good News of peace-- a firm foundation for your feet."

I have a brand new pair of boots and my feet are set on a firm foundation. But these boots are not made for walking, these boots are made for running headlong into the new life that God has laid out before me.  These boots are made for jumping up and down and dancing in the joy of the Lord.  These boots are made to serve my Father.