07132019 Footprints and Burdens

Dear Missionary Lady,

Greetings, sisters. I trust that the God of strength has given you strength for the particular challenges of this week.

Probably you are familiar with the poem/song "Footprints." It starts something like this: "One night I had a dream." The speaker goes on to describe how he sees footprints in the sand, representing the journey of his life. Many times he sees Jesus' footprints beside him, but in the hardest times of his life, he sees only one set of footprints. He asks why God would have left him alone in the most difficult times, to which the Lord replies, "When you saw only one set of footprints, it was then that I carried you."

This poem has encouraged many over the years, but I admit that I've sometimes wondered about it. Where does the concept come from? Is it just a cute, poignant story that someone came up with? My personal impression is that it is emotionally and experientially based, rather than deeply scriptural; this very issue is a major problem with modern Christianity.

Please understand that I am not trying to criticize the poem nor minimize the hope that anyone has received from it. What I'm trying to get at is that too often we have substituted cute stories and poignant illustrations for solid Biblical truth. In other words, we have come to rely on something good instead of on something best. If this poem is Biblically supported, shouldn't we be able to find hope in the words of Scripture more than in a story, or at least find Bible words that will validate the helpful story? How does this poem relate to an actual statement of the Bible?

Here is the verse that I think perhaps most closely relates. "Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved" (Psalm 55:22). The verse talks about someone with a heavy burden. The burden is perhaps crushing, seemingly impossible to carry. The person who stands at the point of collapsing under the weight is invited to throw that burden on God. He who is infinitely stronger can carry every burden we have.

Have you ever had the experience of doing something too hard for too long? Maybe running a 5K race or other grueling physical endeavor. Maybe a long day on little sleep. Maybe carrying the four gallons of milk all at the same time, from the car, up the stairs, across the room; when you finally drop them on the kitchen table, your arms feel like rubber, just at the point of collapse. Emotionally, mentally, and spiritually, we can sense that same type of fatigue and weakness - a vulnerability that comes when we've pushed the limits too hard for too long.

So notice that the verse goes on. Yes, God carries the burden, but there is more. He also will sustain us and keep us from falling. His arms surround us and support us. He stabilizes us and holds us firm. We are safe and secure in His arms. Yes, maybe He is even carrying us - along with the burden we have already given Him. God is strong enough to do that. No burden or combination is ever too heavy for Him. And even if (gasp) we faint and start to fall, His arms can keep us from ever reaching the ground.

Praise God for His loving heart and His strong arms! Praise God for His compassion on needy people and for the unmatched and unfailing support that He can give! Truth be told, God's carrying us is not limited to the hardest times of life. We could not walk a single step, even on the easiest of days, without His help. He patiently and graciously carries us day after day.

May God's strong arms hold you firmly this week, carrying your burdens large and small, and keeping you from stumbling and falling.

Love in Christ,
Peggy Holt
member at Open Door Baptist Church in Lebanon, PA
www.pressingontohigherground.blogspot.com