No Footprints

The waters saw You, O God, the waters saw you and writhed; the very depths were convulsed. The clouds poured down water, the skies resounded with thunder; your arrows flashed back and forth. Your thunder was heard in the whirlwind, your lightning lit up the world; the earth trembled and quaked . . . but Your footprints were not seen (Ps. 77:16-19 NIV Paraphrase).

Wouldn’t it be incredibly wonderful if we could have the evidence of Christ walking with us because His footprints were there in the dirt–right by ours? If we could see Him, kneeling down, digging in the garden making all the flowers grow? If we could watch Him use His pastels for the colors of the dawn and then change to His vivid acrylics as the big orange disc disappears below the horizon? How comforting if we could actually turn our head and see Him sitting in the swing with us; if we could hear His voice, and feel His arm around our shoulder. Sigh. Could I please see a footprint or two?

But the truth about God is known to men instinctively. God has put this knowledge in their heart. Since earliest times men have seen the earth and sky and all God made, and have known of His existence and great eternal power. So when they declare ‘But there are no footprints!’ they will be without excuse! (Romans 1:20 LB Paraphrase).

Robinson Crusoe was horrified as the cannibals slaughtered one man and then watched mesmerized as he saw the other captive break and run for freedom. His world was radically changed when he made himself known and protected the young savage. He now had a friend, a man like himself on his tropical island, one who made footprints in the sand right by his. So began the slow process of coming to know each other. Daily, they walked together, ate together, spent hours talking and exploring each other’s thoughts. They were inseparable.

Jesus, our constant companion is right here on this huge “earth” island with us and our lives will be radically changed when we accept/recognize His presence. I know, not only is He WITH us, He is IN us. But neither of those truths will be real to us until we acknowledge His life within us or practice His presence with us.

Oh, His footprints are all around, from the writhing waters of a stormy Atlantic to the lazy flow of the Muddy Boggy River in eastern Oklahoma; from the tiniest buttercups in a green pasture in Missouri to the towering redwoods of California; from the majestic, snow-capped Mt. Hood in Oregon to the prickly fingers of an isolated cactus in Arizona; from the gentle breeze that brushes against our cheek in North Carolina to the deafening roar of Niagara. We are looking at His footprints! And when we discover Him, when we accept His presence, we talk to each other, dine together, hike as a team, talk about everything and we become best friends–inseparable.

Lord, please don’t let my blindness isolate me from You. I don’t need to see your footprints on the carpet to know that You are walking with me. I accept that You are sitting with me in the cool of the day out in the front yard. Not because of seeing and touching, but because of believing. You have promised that You are with me wherever I go. I absolutely refuse to think otherwise.

God delights in pointing out His footprints for me.

- Annabel Gillham