Follow Those Footprints

I was distracted. That’s a poor excuse. Somewhere in the delivering of the study last night I mentioned that I found it more difficult to multi-task with the passing years. I guess I proved my point—at least to myself. My mouth was trying to say one thing while my mind was struggling with something else. The result was, what felt like at least, a very disjointed Bible study.

When I was making some sense, we were talking about walking with the Lord. The study launched from the two Scriptures in Genesis 5 and 6 that describe Enoch and Noah, Enoch’s great-grandson, as men who “walked with God.”

In my devotions this morning I was reading Hebrews 12, a passage rich in material that felt like a follow-up to last night’s study. The first two verses, familiar as they are, were particularly encouraging and challenging.

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of God” (Hebrews 12:1, 2).

Unfortunately for us, someone decided to separate Hebrews 11 from Hebrews 12. These first two verses of chapter 12 are connected to the wonderful list of the faithful that we find in Hebrews 11. The men and women of faith mentioned in Hebrews 11 are the witnesses who are a testimony to us of just how possible, and important, it is to be people of faith even in difficult times. They are an encouragement to us to walk with God in faith even when we don’t see the result of that faith during our lifetimes. We are to unload all that holds us back from persevering in faith, taking Jesus as our example.

Not only is Jesus our example, but we are to keep our eyes on Him. He has taken the path, completed the journey, and if we want to avoid stumbling or losing our way, we need to watch Him, listen to Him, and follow His steps—walk with Him.

When we finished our study last night we closed the meeting with an old hymn that is an extraordinary prayer asking the Lord to provide all that we all need to successfully follow Jesus and exercise faith even in difficult times. It's a prayer that all of us need to pray daily.

May the mind of Christ my Saviour
Live in me from day to day,
By His love and pow’r controlling
All I do and say.

May the Word of God dwell richly
In my heart from hour to hour,
So that all may see I triumph
Only thru His pow’r.

May the peace of God my Father
Rule my life in ev’rything,
That I may be calm to comfort
Sick and sorrowing.

May the love of Jesus fill me
As the waters fills the sea;
Him exalting, self abasing—
This is victory.

May I run the race before me,
Strong and brave to face the foe,
Looking only unto Jesus
As I onward go.

May His beauty rest upon me
As I seek the lost to win,
And may they forget the channel,
Seeing only Him.

Kate B. Wilkinson


And when we walk with Him and He with us, He promises His protection, His provision, and best of all, His presence.