-Psalm 27:10 (NRSV)
"Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."
-Matthew 11:28-30 (NRSV)
It has become part of the American Christian lexicon - Footprints in the Sand by Mary Stevenson. Mary wrote the poem as a teenager in the depression era out of her own internal struggles. She shared the poem with others to encourage them in time of need and then at some point, she put the piece of paper on which she had written the poem away in a valise to be long forgotten.
The poem took on a life of it's own and traveled far and wide bringing encouragement to the down-hearted. Mary freely shared her poetry with others with never a thought of copyrights.
Others tried to claim authorship of the poem. It was in 1980 when after losing her husband to heart disease while going through family mementos that she again discovered the old valise of her teenage poems. There lay the original copy of "Footprints in the Sand" where it had long been waiting for her return. Forensic specialists examined it and determined that it was indeed original and she was able to obtain a copyright of authorship over fifty years after penning it.
She had lived a full life and had gone through many troubled and also many happy times. I imagine that when she finally had her poem authenticated it was a fulfillment of sorts of the poem itself. How happy it must have made her to be able to hold it to her heart from which it originally had sprung all those long years ago.
Footprints in the Sand has encouraged me through my own times of difficulty. It is a simple, yet powerful poem. It helps me to remember, even in my darkest hours, that the Lord Jesus is with me - either walking beside me, or carrying me in His strong arms when I am too weak to walk.
Pray about it: Dear Lord Jesus, I thank you for being by my side at every moment. You give me strength when I am weak and lighten my burdens when they are heavy. Help me to always remember that you will never leave me or forsake me. Let it be! Amen.
