FOOTPRINTS IN THE SAND
砂の上の足跡
One night a man had a dream.
ある晩、男が夢をみていた。
He dreamed he was walking along the beach with the LORD.
夢の中で彼は、神と並んで浜辺を歩いているのだった。
Across the sky flashed scenes from his life.
そして空の向こうには、彼のこれまでの人生が映し出されては消えていった。
For each scene, he noticed two sets of footprints in the sand: one belonging to him, and the other to the LORD.
どの場面でも、砂の上にはふたりの足跡が残されていた。 ひとつは彼自身のもの、もうひとつは神のものだった。
When the last scene of his life flashed before him, he looked back at the footprints in the sand.
人生のつい先ほどの場面が目の前から消えていくと、彼はふりかえり、砂の上の足跡を眺めた。
He noticed that many times along the path of his life there was only one set of footprints.
すると彼の人生の道程には、ひとりの足跡しか残っていない場所が、いくつもあるのだった。
He also noticed that it happened at the very lowest and saddest times of his life.
しかもそれは、彼の人生の中でも、特につらく、悲しいときに起きているのだった。
This really bothered him and he questioned the LORD about it.
すっかり悩んでしまった彼は、神にそのことをたずねてみた。
“LORD, You said that once I decided to follow you, You would walk with me all the way.
「神よ、私があなたに従って生きると決めたとき、あなたはずっと私とともに歩いてくださるとおっしゃられた。
But I have noticed that during the most troublesome times of my life, there is only one set of footprints.
しかし、私の人生のもっとも困難なときには、いつもひとりの足跡しか残っていないではありませんか。
I don’t understand why when I needed You most You would leave me.”
私が一番にあなたを必要としたときに、なぜあなたは私を見捨てられたのですか」
The LORD replied, “My son, My precious child, I love you and I would never leave you.
神は答えられた。 「わが子よ。 私の大切な子供よ。 私はあなたを愛している。 私はあなたを見捨てはしない。
During your times of trial and suffering, when you see only one set of footprints, it was then that I carried you.
あなたの試練と苦しみのときに、ひとりの足跡しか残されていないのは、その時はわたしがあなたを背負って歩いていたのだ」
Author Unknown
作者不詳
Footprints in the Sand
One night a man had a dream.
He dreamed he was walking along the beach with the LORD.
Across the sky flashed scenes from his life. For each scene, he noticed two sets of footprints in the sand: one belonging to him, and the other to the LORD.
When the last scene of his life flashed before him, he looked back at the footprints in the sand. He noticed that many times along the path of his life there was only one set of footprints. He also noticed that it happened at the very lowest and saddest times of his life.
This really bothered him and he questioned the LORD about it. “LORD, You said that once I decided to follow you, You would walk with me all the way. But I have noticed that during the most troublesome times of my life, there is only one set of footprints. I don’t understand why when I needed You most You would leave me.”
The LORD replied, “My son, My precious child, I love you and I would never leave you. During your times of trial and suffering, when you see only one set of footprints, it was then that I carried you.
