Standing on the Rock in Heels

Our walk with God should be the core of who we are. In Joshua 22:5, he is talking to some people and says, “Love the Lord your God, walk in His ways, obey the commands, hold fast to Him and serve Him with all your heart and all your soul.” In Psalm 89:15, David says, “Blessed are those who have learned to acclaim You, who walk in the light of Your presence, O Lord.”

This is where this book begins. We will compare several types of shoes with different types of spiritual walks. It will be an interesting exploration of shoes as they relate to sturdiness, support, confidence, walking boldly, commitment, and a growing faith, as well as the pitfalls that can trip us up. So put on your cute shoes and let’s go for a walk!

BABY STEPS – When we first ask the Lord into our lives, we are like newborn babies. Many of us remember our baby’s first steps. Those little chubby legs, adorable, plump feet, and “piggy toes” just make us love them even more, don’t they? One day, after learning to crawl all over the house, they decide to try and pull themselves up and hold onto a chair or table. After that first step, they still fall and get hurt, cry and fuss, but they get right back up and try it again. They become more determined with every new step.

Isn’t that like us as new Christians? We are “babies” who are just learning to use our spiritual legs. Unsteady, unsure, and unprepared for what is going on and what is ahead. We fall and get hurt, we cry and we fuss, and we need help continue on in this thing called “Christianity”.

BUNNY SLIPPER BELIEF – Do you have a pair of favorite slippers? You know, the ones you have had for years, are worn out, maybe smell a little funky, and that you would never wear even to the grocery store? Maybe they are slippers you were given as a gift or maybe you bought them yourself. Whenever you walk into the house, you slip them on, put your feet up, and sometimes just have to say, “Ahhhh!”

Sometimes, we get so complacent in our spiritual life that we would rather not step out of our comfy spiritual slippers. We don’t have to try anything new. We don’t care if we are worn out or “smell bad, and life is “just what it is.”

What we don’t realize is that when we become spiritually stagnant and lazy, we drift further and further from God and live in our own ways instead of His. Of course, there are times to sit back, rest, restore, and rebuild our strength back up. Maybe we got too involved and are feeling “burned out”. Maybe we have gone through a crisis and need to “get our feet under us” a bit. Maybe we realized that we were giving out a great deal more than we were spiritually bringing into our life and we need to reprioritize. If you feel the Holy Spirit “reeling you back a little”, listen to Him and put on your “spiritual slippers” for a bit, but don’t let them get funky and worn out.

FLIP FLOP FAITH – Flip Flop Faith is a casual kind of faith that comes and goes. Yes, we have accepted Jesus into our life and that’s about it. We go to church whenever. We read God’s Word whenever. We spend time in concentrated prayer whenever, and that is mostly when we are asking for something. We just kind of “slop around” in our faith, and again, there is very little support. This kind of faith is similar to Bunny Slipper Belief, isn’t it? Flip Flop Faith can make it so we hardly know we are a child of God and neither does anyone else.

I John 1:6,7 says, “If we claim to have fellowship with Him, yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth. But if we walk in the light, we have fellowship with one another and the blood of Jesus, His Son, purifies us from all sin.”

PRACTICAL PUMP RELIGION – Unlike the flip flops, pumps are steadier and conform around the foot for support. Toes don’t stick out between little straps, and we usually walk awhile in them, if they fit well.

There are many similarities between these practical shoes and our walk with God. When we first accept the Lord, many times we set out to learn the “rules and guidelines” of what being a Christian is all about. We want to know where we fit in and feel accepted with this new group of people.

It can be wonderful to walk with a steady stride in Practical Pumps, if we are walking in confidence and freedom. This could be the day you “re-soul” your pumps for a new day and walk with greater joy.

STANDING ON THE ROCK IN HEELS - When we are truly “Standing on the

Rock in Heels”, we make Jesus Christ that strong metal shank, embedded in our heart and soul; stabilizing our heels so we can have strength in our walk with Him. Anything less is weaker and doesn’t stand on its own.

“So be careful to do what the Lord your God has commanded you; do not turn aside to the right or to the left. Walk in all the ways that the Lord your God has commanded you, so that you may live and prosper and prolong your days in the land that you will possess.” Deuteronomy 5:33