I recently rediscovered a bracelet that I received quite a few years back. I say re-discovered, because I intentionally leave it in a visible place so that it’s easily accessible when God nudges me to look at these things. I pulled it out about a week ago, and felt that nudge to start wearing it, and since I’m working to follow these Holy Spirit calls, I put the bracelet on. It’s a simple soft plastic loop that says “Walking With Jesus”. At the time I wasn’t sure why these words were important, but I’ve learned over the years that reasons will become clear as they are needed.
In these situations, I spend time with the words God gives me. But what about the message on the bracelet? I try to walk in faith in all my daily activities – though if I’m honest I’m not always as successful as I would like – so I like the phrase. As I continued sitting with the words, I began thinking about the people I’ve been working with over the past several months in preparation for a faith retreat that’s coming up. These amazing people have shared the stories of their personal walk with Jesus. I am humbled by the faith they have, and obviously rely on, as they walk through challenges in their personal lives, their families, their jobs, the world around them.
And then, I needed to prepare a Children’s Message for Worship last week. The focus of Worship that morning was the story in Luke where Jesus appears to two of His followers on the road to a village called Emmaus. If you’re not familiar with the story, two of Jesus’ followers were walking along discussing the death of Jesus and the rumors of His Resurrection when a stranger joins them and in the course of their walk explains everything about the life of Jesus. It wasn’t until the stranger joins them for the evening meal that the two followers recognize that the stranger is actually the risen Jesus Christ. For the Children’s Message, I focused on the gift that Jesus Christ gave those two followers – walking with them in their pain and bewilderment. And I reminded the children of two important things: first that even if we don’t recognize Him, Christ meets each of us in our hard times and walks with us; and second that sometimes Christ looks like their parents, their teachers, grandparents, siblings, and even like them, because we all have Christ within us and can walk with others in their hard times. They seemed a bit surprised at that idea, but as I looked in their eyes, I could see the spark of Christ and I know that a seed was planted. I don’t know when or how it will bloom, and that’s ok. I was only called to plant a seed, and I’m so glad Jesus was walking with me that morning as I shared with the children.
The phrase “What Would Jesus Do” has been around for a long time, and while I think considering how Jesus would act in situations we face is a good first step, I think we can take it a step further and decide to walk with Jesus, to visualize Him in our situations, to invite Him to walk beside us in our pain and bewilderment just as He did all those years ago with those two followers on the road to Emmaus.
I see that in the stories members of our retreat Team have shared. I see them seeking His wisdom and reassurance, and I see the footsteps of Jesus walking with them, often in the shape of the feet of family, or co-workers, or friends, and even in the other members of our Team. What powerful gifts Christ Jesus has given us – to know that He is walking with us and to be able to walk with others as Christ’s representative.
The footsteps of those who walk with us in that role may look like a hug, a prayer, a listening ear. They may be in shared tears and shared laughter, in words of support and encouragement as well as in moments of silence. God knows the best way we can do that for those we walk with; what seeds we can plant or how we might best water the seeds others have planted or how to nurture the tender shoots of growing faith and recognition of Christ’s presence.
I’ve been trying diligently for the last few days not to write this, and I take that as a sure sign I needed to do it. I’m glad I did. Because, as God so often does, in the writing, the sharing, God has shown me what I needed to see. The beauty of being a part of this retreat Team, the recognition of Christ’s footsteps in the lives on these faith-full women and men, and a deeper connection to Christ’s footsteps in my own life.
Would you take some time to look for Christ walking beside you? For the times He has met you in your pain and bewilderment? He may have looked like family, or co-workers, or friends, but I promise you, His footsteps are there…