A faith commentary on Leona Lewis’ song Footprints In The Sand - by Samuel Thambusamy

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Footprints In The Sand

Lyrics

When I was all alone
With so much I no along the way
Then I heard you say
I promise you
I’m always there

When your heart is filled with sorrow and despair
I’ll carry you
When you need a friend
You’ll find my footprints in the sand

I see my life
Flash across the sky
So many times have I
Been so afraid ooh
And just when 
Have thought I’ve lost my way
You give me strength to carry on
That’s when I heard you say

I promise you/ I’m always there
When your heart is filled with sorrow and despair
I’ll carry you/ When you need a friend
 You’ll find my footprints in the sand

When I’m weary
Well I no you’ll be there
And I can feel you
When you say

I promise you
I’m always there
When your heart is full of sadness and despair
I’ll carry you
When you need a friend
You’ll find my footprints in the sand
Oooooo mmmmmmmm

Reflection

This is a fabulous song. When I listen to this song, I can’t but think of God. God promised to be there for us - through the darkest hour, when our heart are filled with sorrow and despair. As the psalmist David recognized: yea! though I walk through the valley of shadow of death, I will fear no evil, your rod and staff they protect me. It is a fascinating experience to find the footprints of God next to us as we walk through sorrow and despair.

Oh! what a privelege we often forefeit! Oh! what needless pain we bear. God is always a prayer away. He has promised to help us out, to pull us up and get us in and give our weary hearts rest (where love, joy and peace abounds). And so… when I’m weary, well I know you’ll be there. And I can feel you (God) when you say, ” I promise you. I’m always there.

Relationship with God does not mean “interiority” - that you are disengaged with the world and establish a mystic relationship with the divine. What is true religion? The bible says: Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, [and] to keep himself unspotted from the world (Jam 1:27 KJV).

For those, who are struggling (in poverty, despair, hopelessness and uncertainity) God extends his hands through His people. If we love God, it’s hard not to love people. Try it. If we truly love God, we love people in need - not just our kind but just anybody.   We embrace them with arms open wide.  And we must… because we learn to love, because God loved us (even us!).

Samuel Thambusamy