Jack In The Box

Okay, I’ll admit it…  I’ve always been a fan of Jack in the Box burgers.  Whenever we came back to California for a visit when we lived in Oklahoma, we would always head for the nearest of Jack’s restaurants as they had no Jack in the Boxes in the Tulsa area at that time.  There is one very close to the Sacramento International Airport and it was our normal routine to drive over and savor a few delicious Ciabatta burgers while we waited for my son to get off his shift at the airport where he works.  But you know… I’m getting a little ahead of myself here, so let me get to my main subject which concerns the gospel’s command for us to “shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace.” (Ephesians 6:15 KJV)

Most of the commentaries I consulted tend to agree that meaning of this verse is being prepared to walk in the truth of the gospel rather than being prepared to preach the gospel.  John Gill says that the word preparation “signifies a base or foundation and here designs a firm and solid knowledge of the Gospel as it publishes peace by Jesus Christ, which yields a sure foundation for the Christian soldier to set his foot upon and stand fast on…”  In other words, it fills us with a peace which gives or yields that firm foundation to move on and do what needs to be done in the various situations we face in our lives.

This firm foundation reminds me of the song I wrote in the mid-nineties which had the kids boldly declaring as they sang aloud:

♫  I’ve got a firm foundation of Jesus in my life,
     He helps me make it through my day without strife,
     For He placed me on a Rock so my feet won’t slip,
     And the devil can’t give me no lip!
    La, La, La, La!  ♪

The thought of having our feet shod with the Gospel of peace reminds me of hiking up the steep winding trail to the top of Eureka Peak in the Sierra Nevada Mountains in order to reap the rewards of the strenuous effort with the gorgeous 360 degree panoramic view that meets your eyes at its peak of over 7500 feet.  This particular mountain is solid rock.  From the mid 1800’s until the 1940’s over eight million dollars of gold was dug, chiseled and blasted out of it.

The trail up that mountain is filled with rock shavings left over from the mining operations, branches, boulders and the occasional bear scat!  And while it is extremely beautiful, I would not attempt it without a good pair of hiking boots!  In fact, one of the first things my wife and I bought each other after we got married was good hiking boots.  Over the years I have tended to wear hiking boots all the time, but my wife only wears them when we go for hikes on vacation.  Needless to say, my original pair lasted about a year while she had hers for many years to come! (Would you believe that she finally gave them away when we moved to Oklahoma in 2006?)

Those boots gave us a fairly firm foundation to the steps we took on that trail no matter what lay before us, and at the end of the day our feet were still in good shape!  When our feet are shod with God’s Gospel of peace our steps over the rocky paths in our lives also stay firm, safe and secure.

But what about Jack in the Box you say?  Well, one of those lessons I mentioned yesterday that I have learned through the journey that my wife and I are on, is that most Christians tend to put God in a box as they hike the trails of their lives.  Now I can understand this to a point as most of us tend to do this to some extent in order to get our minds wrapped around the grand expanse of the gospel.  But, we experienced other’s boxes in two distinct ways.  One group had God sitting in a box, but didn’t open it up until they first walked through a whole line up of natural or worldly paths.  Once all these courses were explained (or forced on you) they would resort to opening the God box.

The other group went to their God box immediately but would only allow Him to move in restricted ways.  Their box was not very big.  They tended to confine God’s miraculous ways to one particular method.  But as I read the gospels, I see where Jesus used a variety of methods in healing the sick, depending on the situation and the people involved.  Jesus’ box had no sides to it!  His ways are unlimited and full of grace!

In the 1980’s a TV commercial showed the Jack in the Box being blown up as the company attempted to upgrade their image and reach out to a more affluent customer base.  This is probably what each of us need to do to the box that we have comfortably put God in!  The translation notes in the Geneva Bible tells us that the Word “is called the Gospel of Peace because it encourages us to go on bravely, in that we know by the doctrine of the Gospel that we are traveling to (and with) God who is at peace with us.”

Just like when God told Joshua to be strong, confident and courageous (Joshua 1:9), He is wanting us to do the same!  He is asking to be taken out of the box and allowed to do all that He wants to do for and through us in our daily lives.  Don’t be afraid for His gospel shoes provide a firm foundation wherever your paths shall take you!  Remember, even though people may come against you in this world, He is at peace with you!  Have a great weekend.  Stay in tune to His Word, and keep asking yourself… “What am I expecting today?”