“Direct my footsteps according to Your word;
let no sin rule over me.” Psalm 119:133
Ok, first let me make a disclaimer that this blog post actually started back in September. It was an awesome morning and I actually talked most of what I wanted to say into my phone. I have edited it several times and am so sad I didn’t post it at the time. So, before I go any farther and write any more posts, I felt it fitting to post this one. 🙂
As I was walking this morning I noticed the sidewalk. I take this walk every day and passed by the sidewalks with each step, the similar path every day, but today I noticed them more. It rained last night and I knew that I need to be more careful, because let’s face it, I’m not always the most coordinated. I am one of those people that say to themselves, “Don’t step on that toy, don’t step on the toy, don’t you dare step on that toy,” and what would do? I trip over it. Yep, that’s me. However, most of the time I walk past the sidewalks and pay no attention to them.
Some days I count my steps 1-2 and step in each little section with the rhythm, but soon I get off because they were mismatched in size and shape and the rhythm would just fade away. Today though, I thought about how the sidewalks are similar to life. Each sidewalk is in different shapes and different stages of life so to speak. Recently there has been work done in our neighborhood and there are some brand new sidewalks. There a few places, where the sidewalks are flat, smooth, fresh and new and almost pretty to look at. I like the light gray lines on the new sidewalk, poured so nicely and made so professionally by someone who knows what they’re doing. However, not too many steps ahead there’s a sidewalk, broken in pieces or even nonexistent; actual dirt where a sidewalk used to be. (These sidewalks, of course are the culprit to my slips and almost falls.)
I began thinking while I walked about those sidewalks and the differences in each of them. Some of them have been around for a while and are still in decent shape, some covered with rocks and debris and others are shaded by trees so they stay damp and wet with lack of full sun drying them up. There are the sidewalks with not much sidewalk left, mostly dirt and others worn a little. One sidewalk looked as if it had been stamped with leaves and brown paint. It is funny how sidewalks can compare to life and the different stages within. The new brand new sidewalks could represent a new family moving in or new birth in the home; new life, a new beginning. Then, what about the tattered sidewalk? What caused it to break up and fall apart? What caused relationships and families be torn apart? What things that happened in our lives that cause us to to be little worse for the wear?
What about those who poured the sidewalks? Who poured them originally, who walked on the very first sidewalks laid in our town? What conversations occurred when they were being poured? What was the status of that person’s life at the time? Were they happy in their job and surrounded by friends and coworkers, or were they having a hard day? How many songs were listened to while they were being poured? How many people sing songs to themselves while working? Were they lonely? Would they get together with friends when they get off work or go home? Do they not have much to go home to?
I could go on and on with curiosity, but I will stop. So, what is my point? I started relating my thoughts about the sidewalk and began to think about how God meets us wherever we are at. Whether we are the brand new sidewalk or the one broken in pieces, the care of God is given to each one of us right where were at. God is such a personal and loving God. He meets me right where I am at, each day, every hour, every breath, He is there!
Just like the sidewalk, God is dependable to hold me up and give me a path to walk out every day. I’m thankful that God is my creator and He walks through life with me. No matter whether I am starting as a brand new sidewalk or living as a crumbled one, whatever has come in and out of my life, God is up there holding me keeping me on the straight path.
I pray you have the knowledge of God’s great love and power in your life. If you don’t, ask me or someone you know to let you know about all He does for each one of us! Let me see posts of your sidewalks in your town. This could be fun!