Walking in Their Footsteps
In my last devotion, I shared how, over the past week or so, Wales has been graced with a beautiful blanket of snow. Not long after I wrote that devotion, we woke up to around seven inches of white, fluffy snow. It was beautiful, though Tess, our little terrier, did not appreciate it at all! Still, there's something magical about fresh snowfall...at least until you have to walk through it.
Despite the cool and crazy weather, Jason and I have tried to maintain our daily habit of going out for a pleasant family walk. We've bundled up against the cold and put on our best boots. Tess has been sporting her stylish purple jacket with a cozy fleece lining. It's been quite the adventure, let me tell you! But we've also learned something important during these winter walks. The easiest way to navigate through deep snow is to step directly into the footprints of those who have walked the trail before us.
It makes perfect sense when you think about it. Those who have gone before us have already packed down the snow, creating a firmer, more stable path. When we try to forge our own way through the untouched snow, we sink deeper, struggle more, and exhaust ourselves much faster. But when we simply follow in the footprints already made, the journey becomes significantly easier and far less treacherous.
As I trudged along one particularly snowy afternoon, carefully placing my boots into the impressions left by previous hikers, the Lord brought a beautiful truth to my mind. The same principle applies to our spiritual walk. Sometimes the safest, wisest paths to take are in following the footsteps of those who have successfully walked the trails before us. And that's exactly why the Bible gives us so many wonderful examples to follow.
Think about it. We have Abraham, the father of faith, who trusted God enough to leave his homeland and follow Him to an unknown destination. We have Moses, who led God's people out of slavery despite his own fears and inadequacies. There's David, a man after God's own heart, who showed us how to worship, how to repent, and how to trust God in the midst of our failures. And we have countless others, each one leaving behind footprints for us to follow.
But most importantly, we have Jesus Christ, who left us the ultimate example. First Peter 2:21 tells us, "For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps." Jesus didn't just tell us how to live; He showed us. He walked the path ahead of us, and now He invites us to place our feet in His footprints.
The beauty of following in the footsteps of these biblical heroes is that we don't have to figure everything out on our own. We don't have to struggle through unmarked territory, wondering if we're going the right way. God has graciously provided us with examples of real people who faced real struggles and found victory through faith in Him. When we're facing trials, we can look at Job's perseverance. When we're battling temptation, we can remember Joseph's integrity. When we're called to do something that seems impossible, we can recall how God worked through ordinary people like Gideon and Mary.
Just as walking in those snow-packed footprints on the Welsh trails makes our journey easier and safer, following the examples of faithful believers who have gone before us helps us navigate the challenges of the Christian life. We learn from their victories and their failures. We're encouraged by their faith and warned by their mistakes.
First Corinthians 11:1 says, "Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ."
Paul understood this principle. He knew that his life was meant to be an example to others, just as Christ's life was an example to him.
So today, I encourage you to look at the footprints ahead of you. Study the lives of those who have successfully walked the path of faith. And most importantly, keep your eyes on Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith. He's already walked the trail. He knows every twist and turn, and He's left His footprints for us to follow.