Soldiers in biblical times did a lot of walking over very rough terrain. There weren't any airplanes, armored cars or trucks. Some had horses and chariots, but the rest had to walk. The shoe, then, was a very important piece of clothing if one wanted to be able to fight and win. 

In biblical times people wore sandals. These sandals had soles of leather, cloth, felt or wood. Sometimes they were protected with iron. I believe this is why the Lord speaks about "having our feet shod" as horses do. It enables both man and horse to walk or run long distances without hurting their feet, thereby enabling them for service. 

What the foot is to the body the will is to the soul. The foot carries the whole body, and the will the soul, even the whole man, body and soul. We go where our will sends us. 

The gospel is the only means of changing the will of man, continually and permanently. Man has such hatred, and enmity in his heart against God, that he would never come to Christ unless God in His mercy made him willing in the day of His power (Rom. 8:7, Psa. 110:3). This is why the Psalmist says, "Blessed is the man You choose, and cause to approach You" (65:4). 

When we have our feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace, we become lovers of God and man. The Lord has given us His Peace, and therefore we desire to do good to all men, even evil men. This is because it is His Peace that He gives to us, not as the world gives (Jn. 14:27). Look with me now at how well the gospel shoe fit the Lord. 

Multitudes came with Judas to take the Lord prisoner and one of His disciples acted immediately, according to the flesh, and cut off the ear of a servant of the high priest. The Lord immediately healed him, teaching His disciples that all that live by the sword will perish by the sword (Matt. 26:51-52). 

He has come to reconcile all things to Himself, to make peace through the blood of His cross, and He will not fail (Col. 1:20-21). His feet were so well shod with the gospel of peace that He said, "I will make the place of My feet glorious" (Isa.60:13). 

Oh, "How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who proclaims peace, who brings glad tidings of good things, who proclaims salvation, who says to Zion, Your God reigns" (Isa. 52:7). 

The Lord has sent us now, to go with the glorious gospel of Christ to a lost world around us (Jn. 20:21). May we not do it just by words, but by deeds - deeds that shine as the Morning Star; deeds such as Stephen did when after preaching the gospel to lost men, they took him and stoned him. Yet he prayed as His Savior prayed for wicked men on the cross saying, "Lord, do not charge them with this sin" (Acts 7:60). 

Here was a man whose feet were shod. Are ours? If they are, one day we will hear our Lord say to us "How beautiful are your feet in sandals, O prince's daughter" (S.O.S. 7:1). 

Make it so Lord. Make it so to Your glory!