Have you ever walked along the ocean on an empty beach? Or along a beach filled with footprints going in all different directions? I love to watch the way footprints stick in the sand and create a path wherever you walk. Today I want to look at the footsteps of faith as dive into the Psalms.
“Righteousness will go before Him, and shall make His footsteps our pathway.” Psalm 85:13
His footsteps are our pathway
Metaphors and imagery are great, but what does it really mean that his footsteps are our pathway?
It means that God walks the path before us.
He doesn’t leave us on our own to figure things out. He marks a clear path that we can follow. I love the imagery here. I just imagine stopping in the sand to look at a sign with arrows pointed in all directions. Before I can pick a path I notice these huge God sized footprints. As I start following them, I get the feeling that they are leading me towards something wonderful.
What Are God’s Footsteps?
The first would be Jesus. God sent Jesus here to us on Earth to die for our sins so we could live forever with him. But, there was a reason why Jesus became a man to do that. He became a man because he needed to live a perfect life free of sin in order to free us from sin. Jesus left us huge footprints and they are outlined all over the first four books of the New Testament (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John). Through the sinless life he lived, Jesus left us with a clear example of how our lives should look as followers of him.
That leads me to the second, the Word of God. Psalm 109:105 states, “Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path.” When thinking in the context of following God’s footsteps on the sand, this verse makes a lot more sense right? God’s word, the Bible, keeps our feet on the straight and narrow path. It provides a light when it gets dark and when God’s steps become hard to see.
How Do We Follow God’s Footsteps?
I believe the most important part in following God’s footsteps is delighting in Him. Jesus said in Matthew 22 that the greatest commandment is to “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.” When we love someone or something, we delight in them.
“The Lord makes firm the steps of the one who delights in him.”
PSALM 37:23
Read Psalm 37:23 again. The Lord “makes firm” the steps of those who delight in Him. Picture pressing your left foot into the sand lightly and then pushing your right foot into the sand firmly. Which footprint will be easier to see?
When we are unsure of what God wants us to do next, we tread lightly. We go slowly, traipsing around, looking for open doors. However, when we know what God wants from us, we step firmly into it.
Now what does the verse say makes our steps firm? Delighting in God! How do we delight in God? We keep our eyes focused on Him.
The easiest way to follow God’s footsteps is to keep our eyes on Him.
Imagine trying to follow someone’s footprints through sand riddled with thousand of footprints without watching them. Closing your eyes or looking the opposite way would be an easy way to quickly get off on the wrong path.
It’s like that with following God too. Keeping our eyes on him will keep us secure in his footsteps and away from anyone else’s.
Today’s Challenge
Think over the path you have been following lately. Are you walking in the footsteps of God or trying to make your own path? Why or why not?
Ask God to give you a next step and obey right away. If you don’t hear anything, go back to the last thing you heard him tell you and do that.
Prayer
Lord, I thank you that your footsteps mark my pathway. Thank you that I don’t have to figure out where to go all on my own. God, would you give me eyes to see and ears to hear in order to stay on that path. Help me to obey when you give me direction. I pray that this path would lead me to a life full of purpose and adventure with you.
I hope you enjoyed this short encouragement! I love reading through Psalms, and this picture of following God’s footsteps towards faith really stood out to me. If there’s anything that stood out to you or if you did the challenge, let me know in the comments below.
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