In His Steps

“For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps:” 1 Peter 2:21

Up here in Northern Minnesota, our winters can be long and we can get some heavy snowfall totals some years. I can remember going outside one afternoon many years ago and I went for a walk in the woods behind our house. A heavy snowstorm had just come through our region the previous day and my normal trail that I walked on was completely covered over with the new, fresh snow. That particular winter we had gotten more snow than normal, so much in fact that it was up past my waist as I waded my way through it. 

With so much snow to try to walk through, it was very tiring and I had to stop to take a rest. Turning around, I looked at the trail that I had made in the snow, and I noticed someone following me. It was one of our fluffy, long-haired cats. This cat would follow us around everywhere we went, whatever season it was, snow or not, if we were going on a walk, he went too, and today was no exception.

As I said, that winter we had more snow than normal, and that made it very hard for our cat to make his own way through the snow, so he followed the trail that I had made. Bounding from footstep after footstep that I had left in the snow, he finally reached me, waiting to be stroked and petted. He didn’t have to struggle through all of that snow to get to me, he just followed the one I had made, walking in my steps. 

Jesus has already made a path for us to follow. He knew we couldn’t keep the Law, so He came and did it for us. When He suffered and died on the cross, He took that Law completely away. He became our sacrifice for our sins, and gave us forgiveness.

He made the path for us to follow, teaching us to love one another. He made it easier for us, teaching us that the whole Law can be summed up in a few words. Love God and love your neighbor as yourself. No longer do we need to try to remember everything contained in the Law, the observing of certain feast and holy days. No longer do we need to abstain from eating things that are “unclean,” because God has cleansed them. 

Love, Jesus taught in Matthew 22. To love God with all thy heart, soul, and mind, and to love your neighbor as yourself; on these two commandments hang the entire Law and the prophets (vs.40).

“A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. 

By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.” John 13:34,35

A disciple is an active follower of someone. Also, one who learns from another, especially one who then teaches others. To be a follower and disciple of Christ, we need to adhere to His command to love one another.

And that is exactly what Jesus did while here on the Earth 2000 years ago. He showed us how we should live our lives. He showed us how to treat others, and how to please God. He has shown it all to us already.

He has made the path for us to follow. The wide road of sin and hate will lead only to destruction. “Follow me,” Jesus said. Jesus has shown us the narrow path that we need to follow. We just need to walk in His steps.

In Christ,

Andrew