Recognizing Our Footprints

Feet are funny things. They are the extensions at the end of our legs that we walk on, that maintain balance whether walking or standing. Not always highly honored, they are frequently referred to as smelly, sore and swollen, sometimes all at one time. They are probably the most maligned, least cared for and unappreciated parts of our body - until they hurt or tragically, in some cases, cease to function.

I was walking along a sandy Missouri River bank near my home not long ago and was thinking about an even more obvious observation about feet. They leave footprints. In the sand I noted numerous imprints of well-known footwear manufacturers who insist that the wearer leaves their particular logo. I detected Adidas, Nike and Reebok, readily recognizable from the distinct markings on the soles. I saw that the imprint I was leaving behind was the imprint of my cheap Target tennis shoes.

Deciding on our identity imprint is for many a lifelong quest. We keep trying to find who we are or imitating someone else. Or else we are laboring to leave imprints that only reflect perfection for fear we fail God or disappoint others. I recall the following verse:

The future lies before you
like a field of driven snow.
Be careful how your tread it
for every step will show.

For the believer who has come to see Christ as Life, there is a whole new, exciting and liberating way to look at our footprints.

Many are familiar with the famous “Footprints” poem:

One night a man had a dream. He dreamed he was walking along the beach with the Lord. Across the sky flashed scenes from his life. In each scene, he noticed two sets of footprints in the sand --- one belonging to him and the other to the Lord.
When the last scene had flashed before him, he looked back at the footprints and noticed that many times along the path, there was only one set of footprints in the sand.
He also noticed that this happened during the lowest and saddest times in his life. This really bothered him --- and he questioned the Lord.
“Lord, you said that once I decided to follow You, You would walk with me all the way. But I noticed that during the most troublesome times of my life, there was only one set of footprints. I don’t understand why --- when I needed You the most, You deserted me.”
The Lord replied,
“My precious child, I love you and I would never leave you. During your times of trial and suffering when you see only one set of footprints --- it was then that I carried you.”

As beautiful as the sentiments of this story are, the truth is that we are neither walking alongside the Savior, nor is He carrying us when the going gets rough. The New Testament Epistles are replete with the inescapable evidence that we have become UNITED to Christ and that we are ONE (Galatians 2:20; 2 Corinthians 13:5). The Father‘s promise, never to leave us or forsake us, is much easier to understand when we embrace the concept of being forever in a mysterious union with Him.

The only footprints we leave behind are our own. Jesus does not walk beside us because He lives right within us. We are the material vessel (feet and all) which carries Him inside of us. He does not just walk beside us during the good times in order to be there when we cry for help in the bad times. Whether the going is rough or smooth, Jesus Christ is there IN US.

The key is the constant awareness that we are His vessels to use in the good times AND the bad times. We carry Him constantly in our walk but He is not a burden - in fact, He overcomes gravity and makes our footprints lighter in the sand whenever we choose to trust and follow His direction.

And when we do let Him live through us, He miraculously leaves His “Logo” in our footprints for all to see:

J.C. - Lord

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