ISAIAH 52:1-7
I have loved this passage as long as I remember. Why? Because if God has a
way to make my ugly feet beautiful, that’s a God I can believe in and worship and serve!
Let’s be honest, most people’s feet are ugly; mine are extra ugly! Way back in
early teen years I began to get ingrown toe nails. By high school years when I was in
marching band and we often walked miles in parades and practiced for hours on a football
field for half-time shows, things got really bad. The podiatrist finally had to remove
the nail on each of two toes so I would get no more ingrown toe nails. Gross! But over
the years, both toe nails have grown back in weird formations that are even grosser. I
tell you I have ugly feet!
But the scripture says that even my ugly, gross feet are made beautiful if I am
bringing good news! You see, the good news is so good it can transform everything that
I think is ugly; that the world thinks is ugly, into something beautiful. Jesus proved it, “I
have come to bring release to the captives and sight to the blind and to set the oppressed
free…”
The “GOOD NEWS” of God’s love and grace and forgiveness and peace and
joy offer a beautiful life to those who name it and claim it AND PROCLAIM IT! Just
having it for myself/yourself is only half the beauty. Sharing with others this “abundant
life” that Jesus Christ offers is the other half of the beauty.
In 2012, our Region is embarking on the incredible journey of challenging
Disciples of Christ to re-claim the word and the actions of “evangelism.” Our Lenten
Devotional hopes to be a persistent daily guide on this path
to becoming bold and passionate “evangels- bearers of
good news.”
By the end of Lent, I expect my feet to not look
so ugly! By the end of the year, I expect someone to see me
barefoot and say, “Wow, you sure have beautiful feet!” Yes,
in 2012, I expect to share the good news of God’s love
with more people than I ever thought possible.
Prayer (by Frederick Buechner): O God of Life-Giving
Beauty, remind me that “one of the best ways to know
what kind of Christian I am is to watch where my feet
take me.”
Amen.
Ben Bohren serves as regional ministerpresident
of the CCNC-n.