God Speaking

“To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example that you should follow in his steps.” (1 Peter 2:21)

As we approach the New Year, Christmas carols are still echoing in our ears and the tunes and the words playing over and over again in our minds. I found myself humming one such tune the other day and was transported back to when I was a child and this particular carol was a favourite with us children because you could sing it with such gusto and the boys and girls had different verses to sing. (The boys always singing far too loud the part of the king) The carol was Good King Wenceslas, and tells the sweet story of a good man caring about a poor peasant who did not have enough food or firewood in the middle of winter. He takes along with him to deliver his generous gift to the man, his young page. As they struggle through the snow the young page is overcome by the extreme weather and calls out to his king that he can go on no longer. This is the reply of the king,

Mark my footsteps my good page

Tread thou in them boldly

Thou shalt find the winter’s rage

Freeze thy blood less coldly.

The little page does just that and this is the remarkable result.

In his master’s steps he trod

Where the snow lay printed

Heat was in the very sod

Which the saint had printed.

The warmth of those footsteps gives the little page the strength to carry on.

While I was singing these words to myself, I thought of what a graphic picture this paints of our walk with our Master. As the New Year approaches we may be battered by severe storms in our own lives. We may be tempted to cry out like the little page that we can go on no longer. The New Year may look daunting and filled with unknown disasters. We may have no strength to cope with any more problems. We feel like giving up before we start. Then we need to remember He who has gone before us, but the choice still remains with us, choosing which path to take in life, rests with how seriously we consider our steps.

“A simple man believes anything, but a prudent man gives thought to his steps.” (Proverbs 14:15)

This is such wise advice to all of us and as we resolve that this year we are going to choose very carefully whose steps we are going to follow, we will feel that all embracing warmth of knowing that our Lord has gone before us and trust that when we walk in his footsteps our path will be protected by his love.

One of my favourite Christian modern songs echoes these thoughts

Step By Step

Oh, God Your are my God

And I will ever praise You.

Oh, God you are my God

And I will ever praise You

I will seek You in the morning

And I will learn to walk in Your ways

And step by step You’ll lead me

And I will follow You all of my days