Check out this Alpine Ibex would ya, can you see that valley WAY below him and that luscious grass all around him? How did he get up there? Why did he go up there? My family and I love the outdoors, especially animals! I recycled this from a project of devotionals I wrote for a mission trip to Alaska because I think of it often and have to remind myself of what God’s word says versus the thoughts that seep into my head that aren’t in alignment with what Scripture tells us. I was struggling with that today and decided to head out into the sunshine and look at God’s magnificent creation around me. I love how much we can learn from creation and how God’s incredible, intelligent design of creation helps us to not only recognize the hand of God, but in observing it and reading Scripture, to understand our Creator better.

Ever heard Scriptures that talk about hinds feet?

READ: Habakkuk 3:19; 2 Samuel 22:34; Psalm 18:33

The LORD God is my strength, and he will make my feet like hinds’ feet, and he will make me to walk upon my high places. Hab 3:19-

He makes my feet like hinds’ feet, And sets me on my high places. 2 Sam 22:34-

He makes my feet like hinds’ feet, And sets me upon my high places. Psalm 18:33-

While some translations render “hinds feet” as “feet of a deer”, which is very similar to this ibex and many mountain goats as they are both ungulates (hoofed, in this case two-toed which makes for better coordination) and ruminants (4 chambered stomach, able to eat pretty much anything), as well as fast, and incredibly graceful the most literal word for word translations (such as the NASB 95)  from the original language reads “hinds feet”.

 As illustrated by the picture, this ibex is capable of climbing in the most treacherous terrain as his hinds feet are designed by our Creator to do to find sustenance, safety where predators which are not made the same way would find it most difficult to follow, and tread a path only his feet were designed to travel to receive all that he needs while living out his purpose.

If my feet are like hinds feet, I’m sure footed in what appears to be impassable terrain, as I climb in pursuit of the sustenance of the Lord and grow closer to Him, he sets me on high places regardless of the seemingly impossible route.  When Scripture repeats phrases or ideas, we can understand they’re important, it’s a way of emphasizing a point.  Another phrase or idea repeated multiple times is “fear not” (Josh 1:9, Isa 43:1, Psalm 56, Deut 31:6), while it might seem instinctive to be fearful of sheer cliffs and find another route for travel, when I trust that my creator has designed me to travel through anything put before me because HE sets me on high places, I know I don’t have to be afraid because HE will be with me wherever I go, another “big idea” repeated in Scripture (Matt 28:20, Deut 31:6, Josh 1:9).

Hinds feet make me capable of 1^st pursuing the Lord regardless of the circumstance, they make me capable of stopping at nothing to share the good news of Jesus Christ when those hinds feet are shod with gospel of peace! (Eph 6:15) As we find ourselves in the many different circumstances that life has to offer, may we trust our creator more, knowing that He tells us he has designed us to handle what we are going through as we lean into Him and trust Him, and not only that, we don’t have to be afraid because He will be with us as we traverse whatever is before us.  We can walk skillfully with our hinds feet high above our circumstances as we cling to Him and stop at nothing in our pursuit of Him and others with preparation of the gospel of peace! Untether yourself from fear, doubt, and uncertainty and boldly walk worthy in pursuit of Christ and sharing his good news with others!

*Side note- if you are an email subscriber, as soon as I hit publish these go straight to your email.  Occasionally, especially the other day, I received some questions and went back and edited for clarity and added some answers.  You can always access the entire list of posts by going to www.lifeuntetered5.wordpress.com/list-of-posts