Footprints Unseen

“Your way was through the sea,

Your path through the great waters;

Yet Your footprints were unseen.”

Psalm 77:19

This verse is beautiful, and it gives me goosebumps every time I read it. I picture all of Israel, who have just been delivered out from under the mighty hand of Pharaoh, terrified as they look behind them and see great clouds of dust arising in the distance. There is great panic as they realize that their enslaver is coming to capture them again. And Moses shouts out above the horror, “Be Silent! The Lord will fight for you!” This was a lost flock of sheep, in desperate need of a shepherd!

As the noise ceases, all eyes are on Moses. Everyone holds their breath in anticipation as he lifts his staff toward the heavens, and with the thud of the wood hitting the earth, a great wind begins blowing. Right before their eyes, the Red Sea begins to part. This was God’s way for them, He would lead them straight through the Red Sea.  So, they gather up the hems of their garments, and their children and belongings and venture into the unknown. They reach down deep for as much courage as they can muster. By now they are used to stealing away in the dead of night, but this time it is different. They are heading straight down into the heart of the sea! As they weave their way over and around enormous rocks, which only minutes ago were covered by great heaps of water, the little children are grasping onto their parent’s hands. They are staring up, with wide eyes, at the mountains of water, towering on either side of them. There is a whisper of anticipation throughout the great host of Israel, as they make their way through the sea. While some are fearing that maybe the great weight of the water will come crashing down on them, others are praising God for the miracle that is taking place right before their very eyes. All are pressing onward, whether by fear or faith, because of the great enemy army closing in fast behind them. 

And all the while, God is right there with them, walking along side. Although He is journeying and trudging through the mud and rocks with them, there are no muddy footprints that display His presence. The same is true in our lives. Through the hardest parts, when the mud is the deepest, and the path is most treacherous, in those times when we feel the loneliest - His steps are there. We cannot see His footprints and we often can’t feel Him beside us, but God is with us.