The Footprints
Matthew 6:33 "But seek first his kingdom and his
righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well."
NIV
With numerous dogs running about the place, I also have numerous water bowls
spread about and these numerous dogs, drinking from their numerous bowls often
leave numerous muddy footprints on the floor with all their slurping and
lapping. And all these muddy footprints can at times nearly drive me to
distraction. I fret and groan and believe it or not can even slide into a
regular temper tantrum as I mop and dry and mop and dry and mop and dry only to
have to mop and dry again.
One day however I was just too busy with other things to get frantic over muddy
footprints in the dog room and I learned something very valuable. If I just left
the muddy prints for awhile they dried up of their own accord and turned into
sand which was easily swept away. Dahhh, I said to myself, all this fretting
over something as silly as a bit of mud when all I needed to do was leave it
alone and it would basically take care of itself.
My oh my, and how often do we find ourselves fretting and sweating and stewing
over everything from something as small as muddy footprints on the floor right
on up to global warming, world recession and the second coming of Christ. And
yet as Jesus has said:
"Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his
life?" Matthew 6:27 NIV
Mmmmm, now that’s a truth worth thinking about isn’t it? And perhaps this might
be another truth as well, even though Jesus didn’t say it: Maybe if we took more
time to pay attention to following the footprints of Jesus as they trail
throughout the Scriptures dispersing their wisdom along the way, we would
discover that all our worries and concerns, like the muddy footprints on my
floor would simply fade away into a forgotten pile of old memories.
Prayer: Father God, forgive us for our worrying, fretting ways. Encourage our
hearts and minds to follow the footprints of Jesus and his wisdom that our trust
will be wholly centered on you and not the muddy footprints of this world. In
Christ’s name we ask. Amen.
Lynne Phipps Atlin BC
lynnephipps@hotmail.com