In our Embracing the Journey Lenten worship series, we continue to embrace the journey of the covenant initiated by God as God seeks to restore all humanity and all creation from the power and effects of sin and death. Our call to deepen our discipleship this Lenten season is a call to be a Spirit-empowered part of that restoration in our time and place.
As I think about this vision of a journey, I am reminded of the classic poem “Footprints in the Sand.” You likely remember this story. An individual dreams of walking on the beach with God. At one point, things become difficult and this person sees only one set of footprints in the sand and wonder where God went. God explains, it was in these times I was carrying you. We may be isolated, or suffering, or facing hardships and opposition because we stand in solidarity with the oppressed.
As we journey down the path of discipleship, it is narrow and full of thorns, but God is with us to carry us through. Yet there are other times there is only one set of footprints on the path: when we depart from it. Perhaps the challenge of the journey was so difficult, we simply lost trust or felt we could not take it anymore. Thus, we went our own way down another path. One with less struggle. One with less opposition. One with much more comfort. The good news is there are suddenly two sets of footprints on the new path. God joins us on that path, out of deep, deep love, to remind us who we are, remind us of our call, remind us of our purpose, and bring us back to the path.
The journey can be a challenge, but God is always with us. God may be carrying us through troubling times. Or God may be just behind us when we have gone our own way when we have chosen what appears to be the easier path. Whenever you feel God is nowhere to be found, we can trust God is with us, either carrying us through the storms or beckoning us back to the journey on the hopeful path.
Grace and peace,
Rev. J.D. Allen
Senior Pastor
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