There was once a young man who decided to take a nighttime walk through his village after a fresh snowfall. Though the air was cold, he found the stillness of the evening and the quiet that snowfall brings to be peaceful. The ground was perfectly blanketed and undisturbed, and the lights from the houses and streetlamps softly reflected off the snow, giving him enough light to see his way.
As he reached the edge of the village, he noticed a set of footprints leading away from a house. Even though the glow was faint, he could tell that whoever had left the house did so during the last part of the storm, because the prints were partially filled in. He followed the tracks, and as he did, he realized the traveler must have become confused. At one point, the prints headed toward the woods before making a slight turn. Then he noticed they formed a large, uneven circle—clearly not intentional—because the steps wandered in several directions before returning to the circular path. Suddenly, the prints turned around and formed a straight line leading directly back into the village.

He followed the steps back into town and returned home, where he told his grandfather what he had seen. The elderly man said it sounded like the traveler had been unable to see through the storm at first. He explained that the person must have become disoriented and turned around several times until either the storm eased enough for them to regain their bearings, or they finally saw a light from the village they hadn’t noticed before—one that guided them straight home. Whatever the case, both were grateful that the mysterious traveler made it back safely.
A couple of days later, the temperature warmed and the snow began to melt. The footprints slowly blended into their surroundings until it became impossible to tell who—or what—had made them. The grandfather, not wanting to miss a good teaching moment, said to his grandson, “What the traveler went through is a lot like our own spiritual journeys, isn’t it? Living in sin is like getting lost in a dark snowstorm—the farther we go, the more confused we become. Sin is wandering in a storm at night. It isn’t until we see the light from home that we can find our way back safely.”
Truly, God has left a light on for us—His Word (Psalm 119:105). If you are wandering in sin, look to the light of God’s Word. Turn around—repent—and come home to the One who loves you so much that He left His throne to find you. Reach out in faith and obedience. He is looking for you and longing for the day you return.