Footprints in the sand

John 6:44 says, "No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day."

The Father draws His own toward Him. Sometimes it takes a short time until a person repents and accepts the Father as God and the Son as Savior, and other times it may take a lifetime. In my case, it took 42 years.

Looking back over the time, I can see where the Lord intervened and drew me by planting the seeds. An incident at age 10, a conversation at age 15, a sight at age 21...and when I was 30 I came across the following poem. I was fully depraved, fully lost, and I had not a shred in me to commend me. The things of Jesus repelled me. I avoided anything to do with Him at all costs. Which is why it was a 'funny coincidence' that at a yard sale one day, I picked up an needlepoint piece, or a bookmark, or some small thing, I forget, that had the poem about Jesus on it.

Even stranger still, I read the entire poem. Usually I would have thrown it back down in disgust if I was snookered into reading anything about Jesus. But this time, I read.

 Weirdest of all, at the end of the poem, I burst into tears. Yes, me, depraved, atheist, 'perfectly content' me. I cried.

Footprints in the Sand
One night I dreamed I was walking along the beach with the Lord. Many scenes from my life flashed across the sky. In each scene I noticed footprints in the sand.

Sometimes there were two sets of footprints, other times there were one set of footprints.

This bothered me because I noticed that during the low periods of my life,when I was suffering from anguish, sorrow or defeat, I could see only one set of footprints.

So I said to the Lord, "You promised me Lord, that if I followed you, you would walk with me always. But I have noticed that during the most trying periods of my life there have only been one set of footprints in the sand. Why, when I needed you most,you have not been there for me?"

The Lord replied, "The times when you have seen only one set of footprints, is when I carried you."
~Mary Stevenson

Let the Lord walk with you, carry you. If you feel Him drawing you, don't wait 42 years to respond. Life with Him is precious.

Eternal life with Him is glorious. Look for the footprints.