Daily Worship

Wet Feet

Dan Harper September 26, 2021 0 0
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Psalm 1 (NRSVA)

1 Happy are those
    who do not follow the advice of the wicked,
or take the path that sinners tread,
    or sit in the seat of scoffers;
2 but their delight is in the law of the Lord,
    and on his law they meditate day and night.
3 They are like trees
    planted by streams of water,
which yield their fruit in its season,
    and their leaves do not wither.
In all that they do, they prosper.

4 The wicked are not so,
    but are like chaff that the wind drives away.
5 Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgement,
    nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous;
6 for the Lord watches over the way of the righteous,
    but the way of the wicked will perish.

Why is it that wet feet in the shower is OK, but wet feet on a walk is horrible?

I think at all points, other than when I am intentionally washing them or paddling on those rare summer days, wet feet are to be avoided. Sopping socks and squelching shoes bring nothing but misery and blisters. The difference between the two is intention and context, and it’s interesting that the same thing can be loved one day and hated the next and it can help us understand ourselves and our faith a little bit more.

In our reading the Psalmist talks about the righteous and the wicked. Two sets of people, that in the context of the ancient near east, will be going about life in similar ways, but the intention of their actions is different.

In a reading like this we shouldn’t be drawn into thinking of ourselves as righteous or even as sinners, those words have become so laden with baggage they get in the way of our thinking. This is about those who look to God for guidance and those who don’t.

This is about the tree that through its roots drink the living water, compared with the dried chaff that blows away.

We seek to find a way to live our life, we all go about life with our own intention and living in our own context. The Psalmist tell us we are to draw up the living water.

It could be said, we are to get our feet wet with the warm and comforting love of God, and not soak our feet with any wicked puddles.

 

PRAYER:

 

God,

As we wiggle our toes and feel the ground under our feet,

Help us be grounded in you,

As we pull on socks of compassion and shoes of hope,

Ready to spread your love in the world.

 

Amen.