Footprints

There is a famous Christian poem called 'Footprints'. In the poem the writer, used to walking with God, notices that there were only one set of footprints in the sand over certain difficult periods of his life. Wondering at this, that his God would desert him in times of trouble, the reply comes back that these were not times of abandonment but times where the writer was carried - the single pair of footprints were those of Jesus. It struck me yesterday that our experience is slightly different. For me, the poem emphasises the picture of being carried during tough times but a vital principle is underplayed. Yes there is a sense in which God carries us all our days (as in http://biblehub.com/isaiah/46-4.htm). But the individual in the poem seems to remain ignorant of being carried until they are able to review a substantial period of their life. However, part of the purpose for trials is that in them we encounter God and through them we walk with Him, drawing upon His grace and strength, and He walks with us. One of the main creation ends for us is to be God's people and for Him to be our God. That sounds like stating the obvious. But the frequency with which this is repeated in the scriptures justifies repeating it here. I was thinking about this because, once again, Spurgeon's Cheque Book of the Bank of Faith entry for 14th July (full text below) speaks with great clarity and consolation to our situation. He's commenting on Psalm 55:22 'Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee.'
Padi had a fairly peaceful Sunday until the evening.  His eyes would snap open and he'd let out a yelp. We gave dose after dose of strong medication: diamorphine, midazolam and fentanyl, but he was still expressing pain. It is disconcerting to hear these cries and this is heightened in that he is unable to respond to questions about the cause of his agitation. We were warned that his temperature control could go haywire but his was 39 degrees Celsius, pulse racing at 140, it must affect his sense of well-being. Thankfully the temp has responded to paracetamol although we have no idea if the spike is actually being caused by an infection, perhaps in the chest given how much he lies completely still. All his other medication has been stopped so I don't imagine we'd be giving him antibiotics. Because of the gastrostomy, we can make sure he gets plenty of fluids, although we're not feeding him. It's amazing to think back to 8 days ago when he was still fancying and enjoying the most part of a battered sausage.

See http://www.spurgeon.org/daily.htm

It is a heavy burden; roll it on Omnipotence. It is thy burden now, and it crushes thee; but when the Lord takes it, He will make nothing of it. If thou art called still to bear, "he will sustain thee." It will be on Him and not on thee. Thou wilt be so upheld under it that the burden will be a blessing. Bring the Lord into the matter, and thou wilt stand upright under that which in itself would bow thee down.
Our worst fear is lest our trial should drive us from the path of duty; but this the Lord will never suffer. If we are righteous before Him, He will not endure that our affliction should move us from our standing. In Jesus He accepts us as righteous, and in Jesus He will keep us so.
What about the present moment? Art thou going forth to this day's trial alone? Are thy poor shoulders again to be galled with the oppressive load? Be not so foolish. Tell the Lord all about thy grief and leave it with Him. Don't cast your burden down and then take it up again; but roll it on the Lord and leave it there. Then shalt thou walk at large, a joyful and unburdened believer, singing the praises of thy great Burden-bearer.