Many of you know that ten years ago I spent a year of my life walking across the United States. I traveled from the coast of Washington State on a cross-country journey that would ultimately end in Miami, Florida. My motivation was a desire to learn how to walk with God and how to walk with those he placed in my path. Both desires were generously met as I traveled both the back roads and the interstates of our country spending 20 miles a day listening for the voice of God and hearing the stories of farmers, politicians, homeless men and women and those with beautiful homes.
I stayed in many of these beautiful homes and rarely had to stay in my tent because people along the way were so generous. In fact, I believe I am the only woman to walk across America and gain weight because I was so well fed. About two months and 800 miles into the trip I found myself staying with members of a local Assembly of God church. Not only were they generous with their homes but also with their prayers. On the evening that I found myself in their community they gathered together several members of their church family for a prayer meeting for me. For hours they prayed that God would protect me, provide for me, guide me and use me as I continued my journey across the states.
The following morning one of the women met with me before I began my 20-mile day. She came to me and said, “I’ve had a vision of you and your walk.” I responded, “Did you see that I was changing lives and helping people?” “No,” she said, “All I saw was your feet.” “Are you sure?” I said. “Didn’t you see anything about how God was using my talents for his kingdom?” “No” she assured me, “All I saw was your feet.”
It was then that I realized that my feet were actually all that mattered. I was merely the transportation for what God was doing. God could have used anyone and talent mattered very little. The message that came through loud and clear that morning was that I was merely a delivery service for the things that God wanted to do in this world. Whether that be delivering a kind word or a meal, whether I am a voice for the voiceless or an embrace to the lonely I am just the transportation. From that point forward I began to listen differently realizing that at any moment there might be an assignment…to deliver the money in my pocket to someone whose pockets are empty, to offer a prayer for someone who believes they’ve been forgotten or to use my voice on behalf of the things of God so that his Word might find its way to the right address.
Last week I found a small Tupperware container outside my office door with a note attached which simply said, “God told me to bring you some lunch.” Later on that same day one of our students came to me and declared that God had led him to give away his savings for he no longer felt right about saving when others couldn’t eat. And after the chapel service this past Wednesday, where we issued a challenge to support one of our project partners by raising $5000 to open a women’s bank in Oaxaca, Mexico, a woman from a local congregation came forward and said, “If your campus will raise the $5000 needed for the bank I will commit to matching the offering so that you can open a second bank as well."
The possibilities are endless if we don’t mind being feet. If we are willing to be the transportation for the work of God in this world there is no end to the things that might get delivered. Perhaps this week, along the roads of your life God will give you your own delivery assignment. I pray that at that moment you won’t mind being feet.
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