Genesis 19:15-16 With the coming of dawn, the angels urged Lot, saying “Hurry! Take your wife and your two daughters who are here, or you will be swept away when the city is punished.” When he hesitated, the men grasped his hand and the hand of his wife and of his daughters and led them safely out of the city, for the LORD was merciful to them. [New International translation]
Scripture Discussed
The story of Sodom and Gomorrah is a story that is well-known by many believers. It is mentioned in the Hebrew Bible, the New Testament and the Quran and the Hadith.1
There were five cities, known as the cities of the plains, situated along the Jordan River. Two of these cities were Sodom and Gomorrah. These were “good-looking” cities. They were well-watered, green and suitable for livestock grazing. See Genesis 13:11. Some, like Abraham’s nephew Lot, looked upon Sodom and Gomorrah as a “Garden of Eden.” See Genesis 13:11. What, short-sighted, Lot failed to realize was that “everything that looks good isn’t always good or good for you.”
Although Lot pitched his tent near Sodom, it turned out the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah were corrupt and full of evil. As a result of the wickedness of these cities, GOD pronounced Divine Judgment and decided to destroy them.
Two angels visited the city of Sodom and met Lot. They warned Lot of the impending danger and told Lot to gather his family and flee. Lot tried to convince his sons-in-laws, who were pledged to marry his daughters to leave, but the young men thought it a joke and just laughed at Lot. See Genesis 19:14.
At dawn, the next morning, when time was running out, the angels urgently told Lot to just take his wife and two daughters and get out of the city NOW. When Lot hesitated (i.e., or was slow to move), the angels grabbed Lot’s hand, the hands of his wife and daughters and rushed them safely out of the city.
GOD saved Lot’s life and the lives of his family despite their stiff-feet.
Exercises for Stiff Feet
There are numerous reasons why a person might have stiff feet.
- Perhaps some people adhered to the sentiments of the comedian Billy Crystal, that “it’s better to look good than feel good,” and wore too may “good looking” fashionable but poor fitting shoes given their size or foot shape that put them at risk for corns, bunions, or other deformities. What these folks may not have realized is that Billy Crystal also allegedly said “I can’t be funny if my feet don’t feel good.”
- Perhaps some people have structural issues with their feet, making them predisposed to bunions, hammerheads, or having second or other toes that are longer than the big toe;
- Perhaps some have experienced thyroid or hypothyroid problems that had led to joint stiffness and stiff feet. For example, one woman who was going through menopause discovered that her feet were very sore and stiff in the mornings.
- Others many experience stiff-feet because of arthritis, past traumas, broken bones, fractures and injuries.
- There are also numerous other causes and reasons why a person’s feet may feel stiff or tight. Sometimes stiffness may be experienced after prolonged sitting or driving or early in the morning or at night.
If you want to know the reasons for your stiff feet, you should, of course, consult your own physician, a licensed podiatrist or other medical experts. Always consult an expert who knows your personal medical condition.
Exercises for Stiff-Feet
Many experts will agree that exercise can often strengthen, and increase the flexibility and mobility in your feet and ankles or increase your foot health. Not only can exercise improve flexibility but may also help reduce your risk of injury.
One simple foot, toe and ankle exercise
- Sit in a sturdy chair with your feet flat on the ground;
- Raise your left foot about 6 inches off the ground and with your big toe began to make small circles in the air, going clockwise 10-20 rotations and then counter-clockwise about 10-20 rotations;
- Repeat the same exercise on the right foot.
- Rest a few minutes or return to the left foot and once again raise the foot about 6 inches off the ground and now slowly your ankle first clockwise and then counter-clockwise about 5-10 rotations
- Again, repeat the same slow ankle rotation on the other foot.
Heal Stretches
Again, seated in a chair, with your feet together, slowly raise your heels off the ground until you feel a stretch, hold for a few seconds and then repeat the exercise 4 or 5 times. This exercise can be performed on one foot and then the other or both feet together. Heal stretches can also be performed standing with your back against a wall, standing holding onto the back of a sturdy chair or counter.
You should consult your personal physician if you have medical issues, are on medication, have balance problems, experience dizziness or have other medical concerns. Your physician or a podiatrist should be able to answer your questions about the best exercise for you or address your medical concerns.
Pray and Exercise Faith for Greater Physical Spiritual Fitness
JESUS often accused the Pharisee as being “stiff-necked.” People often dig in their heels, resisting change, always insisting on our own way, refusing to listen, not checking “it” against the WORD of GOD. These behaviors can be signs, “marks” and symptoms of “stiff-neckedness.” It can happen and does happen to us all.
We must also be wary of being spiritually “stiff-footed.” GOD may want us to become involved in a ministry, but we hesitate. Many people come to churches and places of worship and may even feel the desire and pull to join a church or congregation but for some reason never take “the step.” Some may have the desire to join a choir, join a Bible study, join a Sunday School class or other study, but hesitate week after week.
Or perhaps, like the angels in the story of Sodom and Gomorrah, we just need to extend an inviting hand to help encourage someone to join us in worship or other activity. We could all use a helping hand. We can all try to be “GOD’s hands,” in the world.
Like many things that are good for us, we may hesitate about exercising, reading our Bibles, eating right, giving charitably or spreading GOD’s word.
In 2018, let us all continue to strive for greater physical and spiritual fitness.
Let us all be instruments of GOD’s living WORD in the world in 2018 and BE BLESSED!
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1 Many Muslims study the Quran and the Hadith literature.
