Footprints

Giant reptiles left their mark on the earth millennia ago. Unusual conditions hardened their footprints so that we could gape at them in the natural history museum, marvelling at their size, wondering where they were going at that point – chasing a prey or fleeing a predator?

We hear a lot about our carbon footprints these days. Not a good mark to leave behind. A better souvenir is to leave footprints of love on the hearts of our friends, our family, and even the strangers we meet today. Those footprints are as timeless as those of the dinosaurs. 

May the source of all love, our Lord Jesus Christ, fill you and me with his love today so that we can walk in love, leaving footprints of grace on the hearts of those we know and meet.

Footprints on the Path

No drought up here in the northeast of Scotland. Out walking Dusty this morning, my attention was drawn to the number and variety of prints in the soft muddy path. Hoof prints from cows and deer. Paw prints from rabbits and dogs. Three-toed pheasant prints. And wellies or walking shoes of varying sizes and sole-shapes.

Dusty and I were the only ones out walking, but obviously this has been a busy track over the last several hours. 

About two miles from our house, the Battle of Corrichie was fought in the sixteenth century. Mary Queen of Scots was present at this battle, so it’s not fanciful to imagine that her footprints may have once marked this very path. Not so far back as that, former inhabitants of Barehillock no doubt walked this path, driving their flocks or herds in front of them. 

History could be told from the footprints along the path.

There is a history of folk who have walked this way before me, and perhaps when God looks from his position of eternal timelessness he sees the whole lot of us at once, crowding along that path, leaving our footprints.

Yesterday in church the preacher remembered the contributions of now-deceased members of the congregation to the life of this particular church. He thought not only of their financial legacies, but also of their spiritual legacies in terms of the prayers they prayed over long years, behind closed doors and without anyone really knowing.

Also yesterday in church we were blessed by the presence of at least three young people who spent time with us in significant ways. They were visiting from Seattle, Hong Kong and Glasgow. They once contributed to the life of our congregation, and yesterday, for a moment or two, we rejoiced in seeing the wonderful young women they’ve grown into, and hearing about the meaningful ministries in which they are involved. 

They have left footprints on the path. Older, passed on into glory, and younger, moved on into ministries across the world, all have left a legacy at the West Church. They have left imprints on the spiritual soul of the place. To us it may look like a confusion of footprints stepping in various directions and at various times, but to God there is a cohesion and a continuity. 

May the footprints that you and I leave today lead others to a closer walk with God.

Footprints in the Mud

Footprints in the Mud

The mud is frozen now. And so the footprints made by so many diverse creatures are frozen too. An interesting collection. Dogs of all sizes, foxes among them no doubt. Pheasants’ toes. Deer hooves. Deep treads from heavy-footed hunters. My own boots.

I’ve left footprints in the mud plenty of times in my life. Footprints I don’t want frozen for everyone to see, leading places I should never have gone. Places I regret going.

So grateful to God for the whole repentance thing. Turning around to him. Forgiven for heading down the wrong path. Footprints wiped out as I head back in the right direction. In the direction He is taking me. 

Hand in hand with my Saviour. No turning back. 

Whew.