God's Footsteps

I am meditating on God’s footsteps tonight – loving the idea that He uses His own footsteps to make a pathway for us:

Psalm 82:13 Righteousness will go before Him,
 And shall make His footsteps our pathway. (NKJV)

(Amplified) Righteousness shall go before Him and shall make His footsteps a way in which to walk.

Not many translations seem to see it this way, but this is very beautiful to me – the thought that we walk in a pathway of God's as He leads us throughout our lives.

I am reminded that the first ones to hear God’s footsteps were Adam and Eve:

Gen. 3:8 And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden.

This is also the first mention of anyone hearing anything in the Bible…they heard God walking! I don’t think they hid themselves because the footsteps of the Lord were ominous in any way – surely, they hid themselves because of their sin…but I wonder what God sounded like as He walked in the garden. I am sure this is not the first experience of sound…it is just the first time sound is recorded in the Word, and it just so happens to be the sound of God walking…

Now we are invited to follow Him, or walk in His footsteps…and what a walk this proves to be:

Matt. 16:24 Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.

I think this can only be possible if we walk closely to Him – placing our feet in the pathway He has made.

I really love this song by Joel Houston, Matt Crocker and Salomon Lighthelm that our worship team lead today – I have placed one section in bold – those words really “got me” this morning:

"Oceans (Where Feet May Fail)"

You call me out upon the waters

The great unknown where feet may fail

And there I find You in the mystery

In oceans deep

My faith will stand

And I will call upon Your name

And keep my eyes above the waves

When oceans rise

My soul will rest in Your embrace

For I am Yours and You are mine

Your grace abounds in deepest waters

Your sovereign hand

Will be my guide

Where feet may fail and fear surrounds me

You've never failed and You won't start now

So I will call upon Your name

And keep my eyes above the waves

When oceans rise

My soul will rest in Your embrace

For I am Yours and You are mine

Spirit lead me where my trust is without borders

Let me walk upon the waters

Wherever You would call me

Take me deeper than my feet could ever wander

And my faith will be made stronger

In the presence of my Savior

I will call upon Your Name

Keep my eyes above the waves

My soul will rest in Your embrace

I am Yours and You are mine

This all reminds me of that 1936 Mary Stevenson poem “Footsteps in the Sand.” The premise is that the writer could see herself walking with Jesus and creating 2 sets of footprints in the sand. She was concerned that during times of trial, there were only one set of footprints, and she seems to suggest that the Lord had left her alone. He replied, however, that it was during these times that He would carry her. Delightful.

May I suggest one more reason why we might only see one set of footprints during our seasons of greatest struggle…we are walking so closely to Him that we walk exactly where He has walked, do what He is doing, say what He says, and reflect His glory to others.

Be like a child and walk on your Father's feet today. Leave only one set of footprints behind you - the Lord's. Follow wherever He leads and enjoy Him.

For an earlier series on Pathways - go HERE

The First Garden

From the very beginning, gardens have been a place of fellowship:

Genesis 3:8 And they heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden.

Some commentators speak of “the cool of the day” as the “breeze of the day,” that the word “cool” is more accurately translated as wind or breeze: Heb. Ruwach meaning breath or wind. It is a word that also describes the Holy Spirit. He is the wind of God – the prophetic breath.

The "cool of the day" can also refer to a time in the evening when the sun is setting, and the dew begins to rise. This produced a special atmosphere that was conducive to intimacy in fellowship. It was at this special time that the Lord came to fellowship with man. Dew also speaks of revival. It comes silently and covers everything that is exposed. Today, we can set apart and prepare a place--within us, and a special area in our home, to be as this "cool of the day." The Lord will respond and knock on the door of this "set apart place."

So, this does not just describe the time of day in the garden, but the person of the Holy Spirit filling everything and everyone in the garden. Adam and Eve walked with God surrounded by the evening breeze – the power of God flowing around them and into them.

Let us seek him NOW!

The word "seek" in Hebrew is a very strong word:

Strongs: 1875. darash pronounced-daw-rash'; a primitive root;

- to tread or frequent

- usually to follow (for pursuit or search)

- to seek or ask

- to worship

- care for

- diligently inquire

- make inquisition

- question

- require

- search

- seek

Think about the meanings of all these words – seeking Him involves a diligent, careful, inquiring and seeking of His presence. It even means to require His presence. You might think it is disrespectful to talk to Him like that, but He invites us to speak in such forceful terms. The Lord requires that we seek Him - we are called on to tread this path frequently - like the sheep in New Zealand that go over the same paths time and time again until they wear ruts into the sides of the hills. Let us make a rut out of seeking His face - this happens as we run into Him again and again - we make a well-worn pathway into his presence.

Gratuitas photo of NZ sheep

Is. 55:6

Seek the Lord while He may be found,
Call upon HIm while He is near.


More on gardens and weeds HERE