Tracks in the Snow

Tracks in the Snow

“The good man brings good things out
of the good stored up in his heart.”
                                               Luke 6:43

One of the beauties of a freshly fallen snow like we received last week is being able to see all the tracks that have been left in the snow. From the birds that have lighted on the ground to look for seeds to the deer that have made their way across our yard to the carrot pile, the tracks are well defined and leave a record of who has visited, the path they have taken, and what they have done. Our backyard right now is filled with the tracks of grandpa and Uncle Johnny taking turns pulling Hope on the sled, of the deer that have crisscrossed the backyard to dine on carrots for dinner, of squirrels playing in the snow, and of Diefenbaker our Siberian Husky whose love of the snow and cold is second to none.

But those tracks reminded me of another kind of tracks that we learned about many years ago. Traveling through southern Israel in 1984, our tour guide explained how every night the sandy ground on the Israeli side of the Jordan River, just north of Jericho, was screened to eliminate all tracks from the previous day’s activity. The next morning soldiers would search the area looking for the tracks of any enemies who had snuck across the border during the night. When footprints were found, as happened all too often, they would be alerted to the danger and take the necessary steps to apprehend the intruder. But what stood out is that their tracks gave them away, tracks in the sand that told the story of their journey.

Tracks in the snow in a backyard in southeastern Michigan and tracks in the sand in a contentious area of southern Israel, the truth remains the same that we all leave marks behind of how we have affected the world around us. Some like pulling a sled for a smiling little girl are tracks that bring a smile to our face and that blessed another life. And, hopefully, you can take that example and look backs to things you have done that have left good tracks behind in the sands of your life. Other tracks, like those in Israel, tell far different stories of mistakes, regrets, and failures that we have had to take to the Lord and ask him to cover, to screen over in His love and mercy.

My prayer as we approach another new year is that you will commit to leaving behind tracks of good deeds, of acceptance and of kindness toward others, tracks of going the extra mile and of persevering in the difficulties of life, tracks of loving like you want to be loved, and of passionately pursuing the God who came into the world to save you, in the snow and the sands of your life.

God Bless,
Pastor Joe
Gateway Church