January 4

SEAT TAKEN

Father, thank You for bringing me to this place and this time today. I ask You to speak to me right now, and to let Your Word breathe life into my heart. Please use these next few moments to bring me to more of a fullness of You and to learn more of Your Glory and how to leave the footprints of Jesus everywhere I go today. In Jesus Name I pray. Amen!

Read Psalm 22:7

Close your eyes for a few seconds. As you do, picture the touching school bus scene from Forrest Gump, where young Forrest is walking through the bus trying to find a seat. Nearly every face he encounters greets him with the same words, “seat taken” draped in a thick southern accent. What feelings come to mind as you picture this scene? Do you feel sympathy for Forrest? Do you cheer Jenny as she gives him a seat? Does it awaken feelings from a specific time in your life? I feel all of these as I picture that scene. I wish the other kids on the bus would get over themselves and let Forrest sit down. I am glad Jenny is there to befriend him. Also, I remember a time in 9th grade when a close friend made fun of me. It was right after Christmas break. The varsity basketball team (for which I was the athletic trainer) had traveled to a basketball tournament the week after Christmas. One of my Christmas presents that year was a book about a former major league baseball player, and while riding on the bus across the state I read part of the book. One day during geometry class the next week a close friend of mine was talking to a couple of other classmates, and proceeded to demean me for having been reading on the bus. I cried that night as I lay in bed, I had had a crush on this friend for some time, and I was hurt. Now, thirteen years have passed, we have both gone to college, she is married and lives on the west coast. I recently got to see her and visit some at our ten year reunion. I doubt she would realize it is her if she read this, and that is ok! I was not ruined by this event by any means, and I harbor no ill will over it, but yet I remember that initial feeling so well.

That scene from Forrest Gump and that feeling from my high school geometry class come to my mind when I read these words of King David. He is referring to things going on in his own life, but also prophesying about the life of Christ. As I read them again, it brings comfort to me. You see I may have been momentarily hurt by a friend in high school, but we went on to have a great friendship and worked in several clubs together and helped each other study. But consider Christ. He was mocked as He went to the cross, and as He died for our sins. He was degraded by the very ones for whom He was dying. My hurt or whatever hurt you may feel does not come close to matching that. Yet Jesus pushed on and continued to do His Father’s will. So today, leave His footprints by not caring about silly hurts or humiliation, instead look to Him and receive His blessing and peace.

Leave His footprints as you walk today!