Saturday, February 08, 2014

What Kind of Footprints are You Leaving?

Finally we got the snow that we have anticipated. The grandchildren watched it out our patio door last night. They will be waking up to enough to play in for a while. I have enough for my beloved snow ice cream.

When I looked out on the patio in the night I noticed footprints. Something had been there. It trailed around and left distinctive prints in the snow. Because the prints were characteristic of a dog, I knew what it was. It could not be mistaken for any other animal.

There are times when I wonder what kind of footprints I am leaving behind. As believers we are given the Word to show us what they should look like. Before we are born again the trail of prints might show anger, rage, malice, rejection, haughtiness, revenge or more. The prints are of a wild animal, one who lives by its own wits, retaliating whenever the need arises, not caring what kind of mess might be left behind.

But when we are born again, we are given a new set of prints to make in the world. Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness and self-control.  Not only are we given this “footprint” to live by, we are given a living example to follow in the Lord Jesus Christ, who completely gave up His rights and His wants to fulfill God’s plan for redemption for you and me.

The world will tell you to retaliate in kind to whatever gets thrown your way. But God says to repay evil for good, return a blessing when cursed, do good to those who hate you and pray for those who use you and persecute you.  The Lord even is so wonderful that He goes on in the very next verse to tell us why: so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven…” So the world will know who we are by the footprints we leave behind, even in pain, sorrow, rejection and humiliation.

Oh beloved, I know you are going through some hard things right now. You may have tried to fit in where everyone wants to be and your footprints don’t match. You may have tried living right and walking according to God’s plan and still you got rejected. You may have been walked all over by circumstances you didn’t deserve. You may be hurting and suffering at the hand of one who left huge prints of pain on your heart. God knows your present situation and He’s with you. Keep walking in God’s ways. Don’t change, don’t let the flesh make prints for you, don’t take matters into your own hands. God promises blessings to you. He promises that your footsteps are ordered by Him, so that you can know that you are watched over and cared for even in the hard times, even in the pain, even in the anguish of momentary afflictions.

How bless you are to leave the Father’s prints everywhere you go! Those prints are full of the fruit of the spirit and leave a fragrance of peace behind you. You don’t walk alone, you don’t have to deal with your problems alone and you can ask Him to help you walk just like He wants you to walk. You will be blessed and be a blessing as you live in the Light of His Word.

For beloved, He loves you and He’s for you and that’s how you can walk blessed all the days of your life.

Psalm 37:23 The LORD directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives. NLT

Galatians 5:25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit.

Matthew 5:43-45  You have heard the law that says, ‘Love your neighbor’ and hate your enemy. But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you! In that way, you will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven. For He gives His sunlight to both the evil and the good, and He sends rain on the just and the unjust alike. NLT

Psalm 33;20-21  And though the Lord gives you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, yet your Teacher will not hide Himself any more, but your eyes will constantly behold your Teacher. And your ears will hear a word behind you, saying, This is the way; walk in it, when you turn to the right hand and when you turn to the left. AMP

John 13:17 If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them.


I Thessalonians 2:12 so that you would walk in a manner worthy of the God who calls you into His own kingdom and glory.

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