The Privileged Life: Making Tracks, with Jesus

“As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him….” (Colossians 2:6)

         I looked at the treads on my sneakers yesterday…worn down to the next layer. They’re not that old, but after walking about four miles a day in them, my shoes are shot.

         As Indiana Jones so famously quipped in Raiders of the Lost Ark, “It’s not the years, honey. It’s the mileage.” Time to swap out my old shoes for some new ones…and time to reflect on where they’ve been.

         It’s good to take stock of where you’ve gone. Have you traveled far from home? Have you lived in exotic places? Have your feet climbed high mountains or descended into deep valleys or crossed wide plains? What have your eyes and ears taken in along the way?

         Traveling somewhere, anywhere, is good for the sole and the soul…even if it’s just to the next county or beyond the fringes of your neighborhood. It gets you out of your rut and out of your routine, both of which may have become tedious during COVID quarantining. 

         On Saturday, my tread wear was nearly six miles. We spent the weekend in the Cincinnati area, a good meeting spot for catching up with our daughter, Elizabeth. We all toured a fascinating house museum (Hillforest), walked around the downtown area, and enjoyed German schnitzel at one of the Cincinnati’s fabulous restaurants…yum.

         The Art Museum is a real treasure. We filled our eyes with artworks by Renoir, Picasso, Gainesborough, Van Gogh, Pissarro, Cassatt, Monet, and Monet, among many others. The museum even showcased a special exhibit on the recovered masterpieces that Hitler had squirreled away in salt mines, depicted in The Monuments Men movie.

         What struck me, however, in the museum’s secular setting was the number of times I saw Jesus in the art.

         The most striking image was in Tiffany glass, transferred to the museum from a city church. In this transparent view, brilliant blues and greens surround Christ who is wearing a luminous white robe. A halo of ethereal golden light glows above His head. The Tiffany artistry shows Jesus with His right hand outstretched, in three-dimensional realism, beckoning viewers to step forward, inviting them to follow Him.

         I wonder how many of the other museum visitors saw Jesus there as I did. I was immediately reminded of His presence with me, wherever I go.

         Have you seen Jesus on your treks lately? In art or in the beauty of His creation? In new experiences? In other people? Have you found Him walking beside you as you travel? 

         More importantly, have others seen Jesus in you? Have they caught a glimpse of His love, His invitation? Have they heard His voice in your words?

         As we grow in faith, as His Holy Spirit breathes into us, we naturally become more like Him, reflecting His love to others. Take time this week to invite Him to walk alongside you, to keep you on His path of your life journey. Look for His presence and blessings with you, especially when the going gets tough. Ask Him to shine His peace and joy in you for all to see.

         I think I’ll take time, too, to order some new sneakers!

Jesus Christ, Lord of everything—thank You for Your presence with us wherever we are, wherever we travel, at home and at work. You are our Guiding Light, beckoning to us to join You in fellowship. May others see You in our lives and words. In Your precious name, Amen.

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© Copyright 2021 Nancy C. Williams, Lightbourne Creative (text and photography)

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.