August 9, 2020

Written by Emma Rooker

“How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can they preach unless they are sent?

As it is written, ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!’”

Romans 10:14-15

Just a few weeks ago, a friend invited me to a worship service held at a house church, and I jumped at the chance to go. Like many of us, it was the first time I had been to a corporate church setting in forever, and by forever I mean since the fourteenth of last March. While I’m grateful for the existing online church platforms we have access to, and even more grateful for my pastors and their diligence to reach their congregations; I admit that I thought I might just cry getting to finally attend an in-person church service again.

I arrived just a little bit late, and when I turned onto the driveway there were several cars already parked across the expanse of the property; in the driveway, on the lawn, and on just about every inch of space that allowed it. I had no sooner stepped out of my own car when I heard a chorus of voices emanating from the house itself, echoing through the tops of the evergreen trees, and stilling my soul. There’s something about the unmistakable and beautiful sound of worshipping voices: the sound of community, of reverence and fervency, and of the presence of the Holy Spirit coming to dwell among the people of God. The front porch painted the same picture, and I walked up the front steps and was met with a sea of shoes spread across the deck, scattered around a chalkboard sign that said “shoes off, please!” Needless to say, I was moved by the presence of the Holy Spirit in that place even before I passed the welcome mat. The image of all of those shoes, all different sizes and styles and from different walks of life brought a peace to my heart that I had been missing. Some shoes obviously belonged to those who had clearly been working in the dirt all day, and some that perhaps had left an office job... yet were all gathered together under one porch, under one purpose.

The verse from the book of Romans immediately came to mind as I stood there, mentally taking a snapshot of the image in front of me. However it wasn’t just the jumble of shoes that gave insight to the symbolism and significance to the scripture, but also what I knew would happen later that evening. After the singing gradually ceased and the cars pulled out one by one from the driveway, I knew that the meaning and beauty of that particular scripture would come to fruition as the shoes were slipped back on and laced up once more. Once they left the porch and went back out into the world, they would carry the beauty of the burden of what they had just experienced; the testimony of the songs they had sung, the conversations that they had participated in, and the prayer requests they had lifted up to Heaven.

At EPAGA Home Care, this is what we believe it means to be a disciple of Christ, and to truly live as an ambassador of Heaven. We are called to go and and meet with God, often in community, and then to go back out into the world, to testify to what we’ve seen; to the good news we’ve heard, and to the healing and hope that we have received. As the body of believers, we are the ones that have heard this good news, the very ones who have believed in the name of Jesus. We are ambassadors of Christ Himself, and we carry the good news of His love with every step we take, for every client we provide care for, and for every family we have the chance to serve. Whatever shoes we fill, and whatever style or size we find ourselves walking in, we rejoice as people who joyfully carry the message of the Gospel, the hope of eternity, and the love of Jesus to those around us.