FOOTPRINTS IN THE SAND 

Walking the beach and listening to the sounds of the ocean, soothes my troubled soul and mind.   Feeling the fine grains of sand on the soles of my feet, hearing the roar of the waves, and soft whisper of the water as it reaches the shoreline erases my doubts and fears and gives me hope for the days to come.  

Looking out over the ocean and up to the white clouds in the blue sky, I see the hand of a mighty and powerful God and remember He created all of this beauty. He spoke it into existence and controls every wave which crashes on the shore.  He calms those waves as they move along the sands of the seashore but there is still his mighty power in them as they recede back into the sea carrying sand and shells back into the waters.  

As I walk the sandy seashore, pray and meditate or simply enjoy the sights and sounds of my favorite place, I always notice the many footprints left in the sand.  Each print is unique and represents a person or wildlife  which walked or ran along this shore. There will be footprints, shoe prints, bird prints, dog prints, and some I can’t identify.  Everyone and everything leaves an imprint in the sands until the tide comes in and erases all or some of them. 

Sometimes I will try to walk in a set of prints and wonder about the person who left them in the sands.  Is it a woman, man, child or adult?  Is this person old or young or somewhere in between? Is it a person who would lead me in the right paths of life? Where would these prints lead me?

What kind of prints did I leave in the sand yesterday?  Looking back on my footprints, I saw that they meandered along the shore weaving a crooked path following no particular plan.  Knowing my thoughts during this walk, I knew that they too had meandered from subject to subject, worry to worry and were troubled and seeking guidance. I remembered I was praying, as I usually do on my walks, for guidance and peace in these troubled days while we are living in the clutches of the Coronavirus Covid19.

This time in my life has brought me to my knees seeking God’s peace and guidance as I walk through the days.  I know if I walk in Jesus’ steps, they will lead me to his Father, The Great I Am, and my Heavenly Father.  Psalm 25:4 “Make me know Your ways, O Lord;Teach me Your paths.” is one of the verses I have been leaning on these  days.  As I study His Word and seek his guidance, I will understand his ways and know which path to follow.  

My Father, God always opens up His Words when I prayerfully seek his guidance and walk in his steps. Psalm 119:133 “Establish my footsteps in Your word, And do not let any iniquity have dominion over me” reminds me to build my days on his Word and plant my life firmly in them, that nothing in this life can have dominion or rule over my life. What a joy to have this assurance!!

The 1st verse of the beautiful hymn by Mary B. Slade, "Footprints of Jesus"  says it much better than I can:

“Sweetly, Lord, have we heard Thee calling,

Come, follow Me!

And we see where Thy footprints falling

Lead us to Thee.

Refrain:

Footprints of Jesus,

That make the pathway glow;

We will follow the steps of Jesus

Where’er they go.”

Whose footprints am I following and what prints am I leaving behind?  Questions I have to ask many times each day. I know without a doubt if I will follow the footprints of Jesus wherever they lead, read and ponder His Word, my steps will be anchored in Jesus and my footprints I leave will be straight.  

Thank you Lord for being my guide, comforter and Savior. 
Amen

Frances