Footprints in the Sand
One night I dreamed a dream.
As I was walking along the beach with my Lord.
Across the dark sky flashed scenes from my life.
For each scene, I noticed two sets of footprints in the sand,
One belonging to me and one to my Lord.
After the last scene of my life flashed before me,
I looked back at the footprints in the sand.
I noticed that at many times along the path of my life,
especially at the very lowest and saddest times,
there was only one set of footprints.
This really troubled me, so I asked the Lord about it.
“Lord, you said once I decided to follow you,
You’d walk with me all the way.
But I noticed that during the saddest and most troublesome times of my life,
there was only one set of footprints.
I don’t understand why, when I needed You the most, You would leave me.”
He whispered, “My precious child, I love you and will never leave you
Never, ever, during your trials and testings.
When you saw only one set of footprints,
It was then that I carried you.”
I love this poem Footprints in the Sand. It speaks of one looking back on his life and through this process, understanding better his own experience and the character of God.
Upon reflection in my life I see that sometimes the pain I had was partly due to who I was at that time and also because of sinful people in this world who hurt me and deeply affected my heart. I don’t understand it fully but I know that in each moment of despair there were groups of people in my life who offered me love, acceptance and joy. Although I saw hypocrisy, self-righteousness, dissension and pride in my church, God did not abandon me to face this alone. Each time there were others, friends, who would bring me bread like the birds that fed Elijah.
God shines down his radiant, life-giving love on this world but we, by our unthoughtful actions, stand in its way and block it from reaching others. Where I had been a victim of many others’ unkind acts, I am sure I too have passed on the same disfavour to others.
Perhaps we can’t undo what has happened but we can reflect on it, draw lessons from it, rebuild and empower our souls to transmit God’s love rather than shade it. Where hurt has been sown, let God reap hope. Where distrust, faith. Where hate, love.
