Footprints in the Dark

Growing Daily

Footprints in the Dark

The marina was quiet and bitterly cold that night.  A car pulled into the deserted lot, snow swirling in the headlights.  Two friends shared a few quiet words before one stepped out into the frigid darkness. He hurried toward the pier and the warmth of his yacht. “Text me when you’re safe on the boat,” his friend called as he drove off.

That text never came. 

The friend rushed back to the marina, tracing the snowy footprints along the dock — and then saw him... struggling in the icy water.

Following up on a text may seem minor, but in the boating world it’s taken seriously.  In this case, it saved a life.

As I heard this story, I thought about prayer and our love for others.  We’ve all had a friend ask us to pray for something.  It’s easy to say, “Sure, I’ll pray for you.”  But do we take that responsibility seriously? Or does their plea slip from our minds? 

Scripture encourages us to be alert and persistent in our prayers (Ephesians 6:18).  And our love for others can be expressed in practical ways by remembering to pray and staying engaged in their lives.  As Galatians 6:2 reminds us, “Share each other’s burdens.” 

Our love should move beyond words into action. A friend went back to the marina that night. He didn’t assume everything was fine. He remembered and checked in. Who in your life needs you to pray and circle back today? It could make all the difference.


- Ron Reid