Some pieces of Scripture are tough to digest, aren’t they? For me, these verses from Galatians 6 go deep. I think it’s because the words are both challenging and encouraging. And they contain two important life lessons. Firstly, to make sure we try to do things which please God and aren’t selfish. Secondly, that we must be persistent in doing these things and hold onto the hope that what we’re doing is worth it.

In the early part of my career, I worked as a BBC journalist. But – in a way that God often does – I felt called to move into something different. I have now worked in the Christian charity sector for nearly 15 years. Part of the reason for this was to be able to ‘sow to please the Spirit’ – to honour God with the good gifts and talents He has developed in me. Of course, it would have been possible to have done this and remain working in the secular media. But hey, I felt a ‘God-prompt’, so here I am!

At Church Army, I believe we are doing good things which please God – we’re sowing ‘to please the Spirit’, whether that’s in helping communities see and know Jesus’ passionate, transformative love for them; or simply sitting with people, sharing a cuppa and being a peace-filled presence in their lives. And because I hear stories like you’ll read in this edition of CA inFocus, it helps me to not grow weary but be deeply encouraged to keep going with this good work.

‘I haven’t worked for Church Army for very long, but the main thing that attracted me to this charity is that while striving to serve those most in need in practical ways, Church Army does not shrink back from proclaiming the good news of Jesus.   Evangelism is at the heart of who we are.  And rightly so.  

We live in a time when need is all around us, and increasing daily as the financial crisis deepens.  Church Army serves, amongst others, those who are homeless, lonely or impoverished, and it would be easy to feel overwhelmed by these practical needs.

But Isaiah wrote this passage to a then future Israel which would be experiencing terrible hardship: exiled under the Babylonian empire, they were kingless, homeless and had lost everything.   Yet the feet of those who brought them news that their God had not forgotten them and would soon free them from their captivity, and give them peace, were beautiful. 

In my experience feet are not often beautiful things, but the Bible describes the feet of those who bring the good news of Jesus’ salvation as ‘fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace’.  Peace: a quality which in a world of turmoil, is indeed beautiful. Who doesn’t want the promise of peace, of goodness, of salvation, a reminder that God reigns and can reign in their life?  

Serving the poor in practical ways is a powerful demonstration of God’s love, but the greatest gift we can give is the news of Jesus’ salvation.  Let’s pray as we go into Autumn, that all our evangelists and partners, and indeed all of us, are bold in proclaiming the good news to those we meet.’