I live in Florida, but I grew up in upstate N.Y. (above Albany). So, I am no stranger to white out conditions. As with any snowstorm, the degree of loss of visibility varies, but this picture is clear enough to determine what is going on. Or, is it?
What I see is a man walking down a path, but he appears to be walking the wrong way. On second thought, is it a path, or a road, or something else? And those footprints- How do I account for them? One explanation is that he could be walking backwards, but his leg position would seem to negate this idea. Also, if he was walking backwards, then why do the footprints (or lack of them) that would appear most recent have already faded? I suppose that he could have taken his shoes off, but why would anyone do that in a snow storm? Still, another idea is that the footprints in the foreground are not his, but rather of another person who has stopped, turned around and taken the photo.
So, we have a conundrum? Any ideas? please let me know!
My best guess is that he started walking this way and changed his mind, turned around and began walking away. Not a very good guess, but that is the best that I can come up with at the moment.
However, I can relate to it because I have been in a white out condition in the past and the image reminds me of a passage in the New Testament...
Matthew, Chapter 7 (World English Bible)
7 “Ask, and it will be given you. Seek, and you will find. Knock, and it will be opened for you.
8 For everyone who asks receives. He who seeks finds. To him who knocks it will be opened. (emphasis added)
9 Or who is there among you, who, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone?
10 Or if he asks for a fish, who will give him a serpent?
11 If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!
12 Therefore whatever you desire for men to do to you, you shall also do to them; for this is the law and the prophets.
13 “Enter in by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and many are those who enter in by it.
14 How narrow is the gate, and restricted is the way that leads to life! Few are those who find it. (emphasis added)
15 “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravening wolves.
16 By their fruits you will know them. Do you gather grapes from thorns, or figs from thistles?
17 Even so, every good tree produces good fruit; but the corrupt tree produces evil fruit.
18 A good tree can’t produce evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree produce good fruit.
19 Every tree that doesn’t grow good fruit is cut down, and thrown into the fire.
20 Therefore by their fruits you will know them.
21 Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter into the Kingdom of Heaven; but he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.
22 Many will tell me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, didn’t we prophesy in your name, in your name cast out demons, and in your name do many mighty works?’
23 Then I will tell them, ‘I never knew you. Depart from me, you who work iniquity.’
24 “Everyone therefore who hears these words of mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man, who built his house on a rock.(emphasis added)
25 The rain came down, the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat on that house; and it didn’t fall, for it was founded on the rock.
26 Everyone who hears these words of mine, and doesn’t do them will be like a foolish man, who built his house on the sand.
27 The rain came down, the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat on that house; and it fell—and great was its fall.”
8 For everyone who asks receives. He who seeks finds. To him who knocks it will be opened. (emphasis added)
9 Or who is there among you, who, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone?
10 Or if he asks for a fish, who will give him a serpent?
11 If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!
12 Therefore whatever you desire for men to do to you, you shall also do to them; for this is the law and the prophets.
13 “Enter in by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and many are those who enter in by it.
14 How narrow is the gate, and restricted is the way that leads to life! Few are those who find it. (emphasis added)
15 “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravening wolves.
16 By their fruits you will know them. Do you gather grapes from thorns, or figs from thistles?
17 Even so, every good tree produces good fruit; but the corrupt tree produces evil fruit.
18 A good tree can’t produce evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree produce good fruit.
19 Every tree that doesn’t grow good fruit is cut down, and thrown into the fire.
20 Therefore by their fruits you will know them.
21 Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter into the Kingdom of Heaven; but he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.
22 Many will tell me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, didn’t we prophesy in your name, in your name cast out demons, and in your name do many mighty works?’
23 Then I will tell them, ‘I never knew you. Depart from me, you who work iniquity.’
24 “Everyone therefore who hears these words of mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man, who built his house on a rock.(emphasis added)
25 The rain came down, the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat on that house; and it didn’t fall, for it was founded on the rock.
26 Everyone who hears these words of mine, and doesn’t do them will be like a foolish man, who built his house on the sand.
27 The rain came down, the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat on that house; and it fell—and great was its fall.”
Looking for God? Keep looking! Not everyone will find God and go down a wrong path in life and that path is a very wide one indeed! It will end in destruction and that is very bad news! The path that will lead to God is a hard one, difficult to find, but the reward is great! Listen to Jesus, take the path that is a lesser traveled on (the narrow one) and be blessed forever. This is the choice that everyone has to make in life and I hope you will reflect both on the picture (because that may represent you) and the Matthew passage.
I pray that you will make the right choice! Don't be fooled by what you experience in this life- If Jesus is the one offering eternal life, don't you think that it might be a good idea to REALLY listen to what he has to say and DO IT!!!