"Footpints"

"Your way was in the sea, Your path in the great waters, and Your footsteps were not known."  (Psalm 77:19)

There are various translations for the phrase, "not known."  It is, "not seen," in the NIV, or, "a pathway no one knew was there" in the NLT), or, "Your footprints left no trace," in the CEB."  The TLB says, "a pathway no one knew was there."  Whether our text says that Jesus', "footsteps," were there and we did not perceive them, or as the NASB says, "Your footprints may not be known", there is something of life's journey here.

Many people today are living with lost, "footprints."  They thought that Jesus', "footsteps," were so clear.  They were so confident of His Presence.  Prayers were being answered.  Worship seemed so intimate and so refreshing.  When He "spoke," it was as though you could actually hear His Voice.  Every day was an adventure in Him.

Then the waves of life covered His, "footprints."  O, you may hear those people who talk and talk of victory after victory.  Their "quiet time" is a continual charismatic conference.  Read the Bible, however, and you will see that this is not the case of one person of whom you read.  We read of David and Goliath; we read also of David and Saul.  We read of David, the victorious warrior; we read of David running for his life from Absalom.  We read of Paul's preaching when, "almost the whole city came together to hear the Word of God."  And we read of Paul, when he wrote, "no one stood with me, but all forsook me."  Jesus preached to, "multitudes."  At His cross, there were only four. 

It is time for the Church to stop listening to the hype.  Hype is like the proverbial sugar or caffeine high.  It may "pick you up," but the downside is worse than any "upside."  There may, indeed, be times when you think you see, "footprints," when all is clear and lovely.  But what do you do when it is not so?  When our life and, "hope is built on nothing less than Jesus' Blood and righteousness," when our "daily bread" is Jesus' Words and not His, "footprints," we will always be able to, "be still and know that I Am God." 

Father, in Jesus' Name, whether Your, "footprints," can be seen, known, or not, I "look" to You.  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