Two Sets of Footprints
From Isaiah 55:9-11 ESV
It is 6:42am as I make this journal entry.
I have recited my prayers.
Read passages in Psalm and Isaiah.
This one stood out to me as poetically elegant. What does it mean and how did it make me feel?
Isaiah 55:9-11 ESV
«For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.
“For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.»
When I prompted my AI model for a breakdown suitable for the understanding of a ten year old boy, this was the result.
You have your own way of playing and your own ideas about what's fun, right? Now, think about how God is like a really, really smart and powerful grown-up who knows everything and can do anything. This passage is like God saying, "Kiddo, my ideas and my plans are so much bigger and better than anything you can think of. They're as high above yours as the sky is above the ground!"
Then, God gives an example to help you understand. He says, "You know how rain and snow fall from the sky and water the earth, helping plants grow and giving us food? That's what my words are like. When I say something, it doesn't just come out of my mouth and disappear. No, it goes out and does what I want it to do! It makes things happen and helps people, just like rain helps plants grow."
So, God is telling you that his words are powerful and always work. They go out and do exactly what God wants them to do, just like rain and snow always make plants grow and give us food. Isn't that cool? God's words are that powerful!
So, to expand on this a bit more. This passage made me feel like the mostly lost sheep that was never scared because his “secret best friend” is Superman. It’s a secret, because only I knew about this friend. He was always there, but no one else around me would ever see or hear him. Only me.
The above passage reminded me of a track by the late rapper DMX and the track’s name is “The Convo”.
The first time I heard this track, it made me feel like DMX also had a “secret best friend”. He was too “a mostly lost sheep”, who was probably often finding himself in impossible situations.
Was he also in a perpetual state of spiritual warfare?
A struggle that I could often relate with in many ways.
I was not a believer in those days, but I recognize now that I always had another set of footprints beside me and I now know who He was.
Was he a soldier that found himself always on the front lines?
And what I mean by that, is that their life timelines were mostly dark. But for brief moments, they would put something out or sprinkle one track out of an entire album that gave hope and some level of comfort and security.
This particular track featured below, was always one of those tracks of hope and comfort. I would play it when I felt as though I was in one of those “impossible situations”. An impossible situation in which those “Two sets of footprints” had better represent an ally with capabilities greater than what I had to bring to the table.
The below track and lyrics I also have mentally filed under “poetic elegance”. Despite the differing context and circumstances between the two authors, one reminded me of the other.
I’ve included the lyrics of the track from DMX’s “The Convo” below.
I’ve also embedded the track further down in this article. However, please note there is some profanity within.
DMX - The Convo
You tell me that there's love here.
But to me it's blatant.
Nothin' but all the blood here.
I'm dealin with Satan.
Plus with all the hatin'
it's hard to keep peace. (uh huh)
Thou shall not steal,
but I will to eat.
I tried doin' good, but
good's not too good for me.
Misunderstood,
why you chose the hood for me.
Mean I'm aiight,
I just had to work hard at it.
Went to gran'ma for answers,
she told me that god had it.
So now here I am,
confused and full of questions.
Am I born to lose,
or is this just a lesson.
And who it's goin' choose
when it gets turned around.
And will it be
layin' in my own blood
and on the ground.
My child,
I've watched you grow up
and I've been there. (uh huh)
Even at those times
you least suspected it
I was there.
And look at what I've given you
a talent to rhyme.
I may not come when you call,
but I'm always on time.
Somebody's knockin'.
Should I let em in.
Lord we're just startin,
but where will it end.
Somebody's knockin'.
Should I let em in.
Lord we're just startin,
but where will it end.
But when the funds are low
the guns'll blow.
Lookin' for that one that owe,
make em run that dough.
No!
Put down the guns
and write a new rhyme.
You'll get it all in due time.
You'll do fine.
Just have faith
cuz you mine. (uh huh)
And when you shine
it's goin' be a sight to behold.
So don't fight to be old,
or lose sight when it's cold.
See that light down the road,
it's goin' guide you there
Two sets of footprints,
I was right beside you there.
But what about them times
I only saw one.
Those were the times that I was
under the gun,
It was then I carried you my son.
Led you to safety.
It just wasn't your time to face me. (uh huh)
Ayo a few of them times I thought you would erase me.
But all you did was embrace me.
Prepared me for the worst.
Offered me eternal light,
and scared me with the hearse.
And the curse
turned to grace.
When the hurt
turned to faith.
No more runnin', (uh huh)
and slidin' in the dirt
cuz I'm safe.
Somebody's knockin'.
Should I let em in.
Lord we're just startin,
but where will it end.
Somebody's knockin'.
Should I let em in.
So if I'm yo' man
I'm in yo' hand.
Wus yo' plan.
Never had a friend
cuz you couldn't trust your man.
Learned to stand before I crawled.
Things were twisted!
And if you showed me anything at all
then I missed it.
Looked the wrong way. (uh huh)
I've done some wrong things. (true)
Kept a bad attitude,
but that's what wrong brings.
And now you mean to tell me that
after all this time,
it was you that kept the dog from goin' out of his mind.
It was you that breathed life
into my lungs when I was born.
And it was you that let me know
what was right,
from what was wrong.
And it was you that let me do
what I knew what could be done.
And it was you that gave me a good wife
and a beautiful son.
And It's been you speakin' to me
inside my mind.
And it's been you who has forgiven
time after time.
It was you who opened my eyes
so I could see.
And it was you who shined yo'
light on me.
So, what does that sometimes whacky mind of mine make of all of this?
There are two set of footprints. There always was and still is. I didn’t open that door until last October. And so now I know and understand whose those second set of footprints actually belonged to all those years.
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