Footprints

Footprints


Reflections by the Sea © Betsy Ore Glass
September 14, 2011

But be very careful to keep the commandment and the law that Moses the servant of the Lord gave you; to love the Lord your God, to walk in all his ways, to obey his commands, to hold fast to him and to serve him with all your heart and all your soul. -Joshua 22:5

Walking in soft sand at the beach can be so strenuous. Sometimes the sand is deep and it can really be a struggle. But the job gets easier if you can find the footprints of one that went before you and then follow their path. As little children, we would try to walk in the footprints left by a grownup, only to stumble to our knees because we couldn’t make the long stride. Some footprints are narrow, others wide, some long, some short. Some people go barefooted on the beach, while others wear shoes with ridged soles. To find another footprint is to know that someone walked ahead of us. Their footprint made the path just a little easier for us. Their weight caused the sand to compress, giving us a place for firmer footing.

Following God is His desire for us. But, the path is not always so easy to walk. Sometimes He leads us into the deeper sand and it is difficult. Other times we can cover a lot of distance in the firmer sand because the walk is smooth and easy. In both cases, He is building our spiritual muscle for our journey in Him. Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding, in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3:5. There may be times of hard work and effort, and then He surely rewards us with rest and restoration. Knowing in advance that tough times are ultimately for our own growth and development, it somehow makes it easier to understand. There is a benefit to every step we take if we let Our Father lead the way on the path before us