Life is full of mystery. We had one on a snowy morning in January.
Opening the curtains, to my surprise there was a pair of large footprints coming through the gate right up to the front window, where, it appears, someone stood trying to look in! Scary to say the least and very unsettling.
Who was it and why? Usu
ally I'm good at solving things but this remains a mystery. When things happen that worry and disturb us – bad news, illness and such – we might be tempted to throw in the towel, feeling perhaps rather vulnerable and of little worth.
But a quotation comes to mind: "I cannot think that we are useless or God would not have created us". Whoever said that was extremely wise and of great insight. However how weak or insignificant we feel, we are of value, certainly to God, and in His love, to others.
Albert Schweitzer is reputed to have said that he realised, looking back, that so many people were given him without him knowing. People entered his life, and though not seeing it at the time, became significant in moulding his thoughts and actions. That is awesome. I wonder what difference any of us will make within our lifetime? Hopefully they will not leave that impression of uninvited and rather sinister footprints in the snow!
Christians live by faith and it colours the whole of our existence. A brilliant theme tune for us might be I Believe by The Bachelors – words full of conviction and certainty – so let us raise our voices and get singing, so that we too might create something worthy of influence. Who knows who might be drawn to follow in our footprints?
BARBARA BRADLEY
Trinity Methodist Church
Churches Together are at www.wdco.org/site/Churches-Together-in-Wakefield
Pilgrim's Progress is edited by Nick Shields
