More from Amy Oyler

My meditation entitled “Footsteps” was, as with most writers’ projects, many years in the making. As a longtime reader of The Upper Room, I had often considered writing a meditation. My husband, Jason, had always encouraged this, but I continually put it off. When the idea came to me for my devotional, I sat on it for several years. I finally reached the point of writing it on my computer . . . where it proceeded to sit for another year or so. One day I decided to clean it up, follow the procedure for submissions, and send it in. Then there was the wait, and it’s hard to express how humbled and grateful I was to receive notice that my writing would be published in February 2026. Well, I can express it . . . I burst into tears!

The subject of the meditation itself came to me during the pandemic. Our youngest son was still living at home, and the older two sons were in college. They both had to come home, of course, so it was during this time when all of our boys were home once again that I discovered I knew their footsteps on our stairs. I was working on my laptop in the breakfast room and heard one of them coming down. “That’s Tim,” I thought to myself. And it was! I can tell because he is usually drumming on his legs (he is a musician). Then I thought about my other two. Our youngest, Thomas, would walk about halfway down the stairs and then jump the rest of the way with a thud when he was younger! Our oldest, Tanner, had a straightforward, steady, solid gait.

When I realized I possessed this knowledge about my sons (which most parents have regarding their children) I interpreted it was a metaphor for the relationship that we have with God. How fully known we are by our Creator! It became a fun little game in my head to guess who was coming down the stairs during that time. But knowing my sons’ footsteps is just one element of our relationship. There are many other ways in which I know them—who they are and what they care about and value. And it humbles me to know that God knows all this and more about me! I’m also filled with gratitude that God knows and loves my sons and husband even more than I ever could.

Being known, heard, and seen is a vital aspect of our humanity. How magnificent to be known, heard, and seen—and loved—by our awesome God!