IT’S UNDER MY FEET

I was six years old when I turned to my mom during an evening church service and asked if I should respond to the invitation that was being offered by the pastor that evening. She said, “I can’t make the decision for you.” So I got up from my seat, and publicly said, “Yes” to Jesus. Shortly after that, I began preaching to my parents in the living room of our house and would go on to start my first church with a tree stump as a platform, and a couple of logs for pews.

Twenty-three years later as I prepared to graduate seminary, and receive my first pastoral appointment, I could feel this inner need to put my pride aside and I had a gut-level drive to accept the invitation to go and to pray at the altar.  I had heard the line hundreds of times,

“Coming to the Altar doesn’t mean something is wrong with you, it means something is right with you.”

Yet, in the back of my mind, I always thought a pastor, or soon to be pastor shouldn’t make such a journey; everyone might think something is wrong with them, or in this case me. Getting out of my seat and kneeling at the altar was one of the most freeing experiences in my life. Since that time I have rarely missed the opportunity to kneel at an altar and pray.

During the summer of 2015, the area in which I serve had a district-wide worship service, and an invitation was given to linger at the altar. Once again doubt and fear had crept in and was telling me not to go, but I knew that meant it was even more important to go. As I knelt down to pray the stresses of this past year came rushing to my mind. As I began to pray one of my standard, “God give me your wisdom, and strength prayers …”  I heard a very clear statement that I believe was God’s answer to all the troubles I had been facing, as well as the problems that lie ahead:

“The Wesley Foundation is under my feet.” 

As soon as I got back to my seat I Googled “Under God’s Feet” and there it was,  ““God put everything under Christ’s feet and made him head of everything in the church, which is his body. His body, the church, is the fullness of Christ, who fills everything in every way. —Ephesians‬ ‭1:22-23‬ ‭CEB‬‬

Everything is under Christ’s feet! This is a statement which recognizes that God the Father has given His authority to Jesus, His son (Also see Matthew 28:18, Romans 16:30). Let this sink into your inner being: Christ fills EVERYTHING in EVERYWAY! He is all in all! There is no space, nor sphere of existence anywhere in the universe that Christ has not filled.

Everything is under Christ’s feet!

2015 was by far the most difficult year I have experienced in ministry. Some days were so bad that I would see the “we’re hiring signs” in the window of local grocery stores, and I would think about applying.

I am not a fan of blogs or articles that presuppose, “Preachers have the most difficult job on the planet…” The truth is all jobs have challenges and difficulties, and in my opinion being able to preach, and teach people about Jesus for a living is a privilege. It is the best job on earth. And best of all, no matter what job you have, or problem your facing, Christ has filled it, he has placed it under his feet.

“being able to preach, and teach people about Jesus for a living is a privilege. It is the best job on earth. And best of all, no matter what job you have, or problem your facing, Christ has filled it, he has placed it under his feet.”