"Your way was in the sea, Your path in the great waters, and Your footsteps were not known." (Psalm 77:19)
I share with you various translations of the last phrase of our text: "....a pathway no one knew was there!" "....and Your footprints may not be known." "....but Your footprints were never seen." "But Your footprints left no trace!" "....but Your footsteps were...obliterated." Could this all reveal further "reasons" our Lord Jesus so many times did not satisfy the desire of sign-seekers? He would "do a miracle," then say, "See that you tell no one." Is this an example of, "....Your footsteps were...obliterated"?
Every month this verse is a blessing to me, even though, I must admit, there is a certain, "....may not be known", about it. Several translations reveal this as a sort of "principle" in the administration of the Blessed Trinity, "....Your footprints may not be known." Now we all want to know them, but perhaps everyone who is caught up in "signs" needs to accept, "Your footprints may not be known." Is this something of what we seen in Peter when he, along with those around him, came to the conclusion, "This is a hard saying; who can understand it?" They could see no, "footprints," or a, "pathway," just a Person. Those who were looking for the, "footprints," or some, "pathway," of their own perception, left the church. Those who were looking for God, stayed with Him.
Then there is another principle in our text. Many times you and I have gone through seasons of our lives when, for whatever reason, we "saw" nothing. Maybe it was because we could not; maybe it is because we would not. Maybe the raging waters were so high, so terrible, all we saw was impending doom. Whatever the reason, it was, "....a pathway no one knew was there,-- Your footprints were...obliterated." But O, my friend, I am so very thankful that the, "....pathway....was there"!!
Whatever the understanding we may receive from today's text, it is a reminder of what another Psalm declares, "If it had not been the Lord Who was on our side..., then the waters would have overwhelmed us." Even when dull, even when overwhelmed in sorrow or, "the cares of this life," or by Jesus' design, [His] footprints were...obliterated," I know of certainty, "....the Lord...was on our side", and His, "footprints [which] left no trace," were still "there."
Father, in Jesus' Name, for those many times when I saw no, "footprints," and the, "pathway," was obscured by my own weakness, or by Your design, I am so thankful that You were on that, "....pathway no one knew was there," with me, and in me. Amen.
I share with you various translations of the last phrase of our text: "....a pathway no one knew was there!" "....and Your footprints may not be known." "....but Your footprints were never seen." "But Your footprints left no trace!" "....but Your footsteps were...obliterated." Could this all reveal further "reasons" our Lord Jesus so many times did not satisfy the desire of sign-seekers? He would "do a miracle," then say, "See that you tell no one." Is this an example of, "....Your footsteps were...obliterated"?
Every month this verse is a blessing to me, even though, I must admit, there is a certain, "....may not be known", about it. Several translations reveal this as a sort of "principle" in the administration of the Blessed Trinity, "....Your footprints may not be known." Now we all want to know them, but perhaps everyone who is caught up in "signs" needs to accept, "Your footprints may not be known." Is this something of what we seen in Peter when he, along with those around him, came to the conclusion, "This is a hard saying; who can understand it?" They could see no, "footprints," or a, "pathway," just a Person. Those who were looking for the, "footprints," or some, "pathway," of their own perception, left the church. Those who were looking for God, stayed with Him.
Then there is another principle in our text. Many times you and I have gone through seasons of our lives when, for whatever reason, we "saw" nothing. Maybe it was because we could not; maybe it is because we would not. Maybe the raging waters were so high, so terrible, all we saw was impending doom. Whatever the reason, it was, "....a pathway no one knew was there,-- Your footprints were...obliterated." But O, my friend, I am so very thankful that the, "....pathway....was there"!!
Whatever the understanding we may receive from today's text, it is a reminder of what another Psalm declares, "If it had not been the Lord Who was on our side..., then the waters would have overwhelmed us." Even when dull, even when overwhelmed in sorrow or, "the cares of this life," or by Jesus' design, [His] footprints were...obliterated," I know of certainty, "....the Lord...was on our side", and His, "footprints [which] left no trace," were still "there."
Father, in Jesus' Name, for those many times when I saw no, "footprints," and the, "pathway," was obscured by my own weakness, or by Your design, I am so thankful that You were on that, "....pathway no one knew was there," with me, and in me. Amen.
When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"
Hebrews 12:2
Hebrews 12:2
