Now imagine you and the Lord Jesus walking down the road together. For
much of the way the Lord's footprints go along steadily, consistently, rarely varying
in the pace. But your prints are in a disorganized stream of zigzags, starts, stops,
turnarounds, circles, departures and returns.
For much of the way it seems to
go like this. but gradually, your footprints come in line with the Lord's, soon
paralleling His consistently. You and Jesus are walking as true friends.
This seems perfect, but then an interesting thing happens: your footprints that once
etched the sand next to the Master's are now walking precisely in His steps. Inside
His large footprints is the smaller "sandprint," safely enclosed. You and Jesus are
becoming one.
This goes on for many miles. But gradually you notice another
change. The footprints inside the larger footprints seem to grow larger. Eventually
it disappears altogether. There is only one set of footprints. They have become one.
Again, this goes on for a long time. But then something awful happens. The
second set of footprints is back. And this time it seems even worse. Zigzags all over
the place. Stop. Start. Deep gashes in the sand. A veritable mess of prints.
You're amazed and shocked. But this is the end of your dream. Now you speak. "Lord, I
understand the first scene with the zigzag and fits and starts and so on. I was a new
Christian, just learning. But You walked on through the storm and helped me learn to
walk with You."
"That is correct."
"Yes, when
the smaller footprints were inside of Yours, I was actually learning to walk in Your
steps. I followed You very closely."
"Very good. You have
understood everything so far."
"Then the smaller footprints grew and
eventually filled in with Yours. I suppose that I was actually growing so much that I
was becoming more like You in every way."
"Precisely."
"But this is my question, Lord. Was there a regression of something? The
footprints went back to two, and this time it was worse that the first."
The Lord smiles, then laughs. "You didn't know?" He says.
"That was when we danced."
