Never underestimate the power of hanging framed Scripture or meaningful messages on your walls. I remember growing up as a kid my mother had various verses in frames scattered around the house. Almost without thinking about it, this is how I memorized life-shaping verses like Matthew 6:33, Proverbs 3:5-6, and Romans 8:28.

But there was also a poem that Mom had on our bathroom wall that I’ll never forget. I saw it multiple times every day and over the years I think it probably helped me understand something very important about a relationship with God, especially when life is difficult.

It is called Footprints in the Sand:

One night I dreamed a dream.
As I was walking along the beach with my Lord.
Across the dark sky flashed scenes from my life.
For each scene, I noticed two sets of footprints in the sand,
One belonging to me and one to my Lord.

After the last scene of my life flashed before me,
I looked back at the footprints in the sand.
I noticed that at many times along the path of my life,
especially at the very lowest and saddest times,
there was only one set of footprints.

This really troubled me, so I asked the Lord about it.
“Lord, you said once I decided to follow you,
You’d walk with me all the way.
But I noticed that during the saddest and most troublesome times of my life,
there was only one set of footprints.
I don’t understand why, when I needed You the most, You would leave me.”

He whispered, “My precious child, I love you and will never leave you
Never, ever, during your trials and testings.
When you saw only one set of footprints,
It was then that I carried you.”

This has to be one of the most beloved and shared poems of all time, but ironically the author is anonymous. Whoever he or she was, I appreciate their artistry. They gave us a beautiful word picture to help us understand something very important and true about the Lord: He does not ask us to carry Him. Rather, He carries us.

Did you get that? Unlike the other performance-based gods of this world which demand to be carried, our gracious God carries us.

If you are tired today and exhausted from the demands of life, take a moment to rest and remember that you are being carried.

“Praise the Lord; praise God our savior! For each day he carries us in his arms.” Psalm 68:19 (NLT)

It’s a new day with God. Run with it.