WALKING WITH GOD

Perhaps you prefer to walk in the early morning, like Jesus who rose a “great while before day and went into a solitary place to pray.” Or maybe you enjoy walking peacefully in the evening. Perhaps your walks are purposeful, part of your journey to work, school, or shopping. Wherever or whenever you walk, you’re following in a great tradition:

Abraham took a walk at God’s command. Moses led the children of Israel on a long trek to the Promised Land. Joshua’s spies were sent to walk through the land. The followers of Jesus walked with Him through Galilee and beyond. The paralyzed man lying by the pool at the sheep market took up his bed and walked after Jesus healed him. Paul walked for God, spreading the Good News throughout Asia.

Of course, not every scripture about “walking” refers literally to taking step after step, but many are references to a way of living. That’s why reminders to “walk like He walked” mean so much more than a mode of getting around.7 So how is our life’s walk progressing?

Look back and remember.
I have been with you wherever you have gone.—2 Samuel 7:9

As we have traveled along the road of life, there have been pleasant places8 and some less enjoyable routes. It has not always been an easy path, but one thing is sure: whether His footsteps beside us were visible or not, God was with us.

I will walk among you and be your God, and you shall be My people. I … will hold your right hand, saying to you, “Fear not, I will help you.”—Leviticus 26:12, Isaiah 41:13

Thank You, Lord, for Your presence on my journey.

The Lord shows the way.
The shepherd of the sheep … when he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them; and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice.—John 10:2,4

God will continue to be with us, just as He has always been. He is the Good Shepherd who knows the way.

Always long and pray that the will of God may be fully realised in your life. You will find that the man who does this walks in the land of peace and quietness.—Thomas à Kempis (1380–1471)

When I am with God
My fear is gone
In the great quiet of God.
My troubles are as pebbles on the road,
My joys are like the everlasting hills.
—Walter Rauschenbusch (1861–1918)

Help me, Lord, to follow You.

Going forward means putting one foot after the other.
You do not know what will happen tomorrow.—James 4:14

We look back and remember where we’ve been; we look around and see where we are now; but the place we can’t see—the direction we can’t fathom—is the future. Yet as an old saying tells us, “We don’t know what the future holds, but we know Who holds the future.” Our not knowing the future seems to be part of His plan.

God doesn’t always remove obstacles out of our way before we reach them. Yet when we are on the edge of our need, God’s hand is stretched out. Many people forget this and are forever worrying about difficulties that they foresee in the future. They expect that God is going to make the way plain and open before them miles and miles ahead, whereas he has promised to do it only step by step as they may need. You must get to the floodwaters before you can claim the promise.—Author unknown

When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow you.—Isaiah 43:2

Lord, help me to trust You for what I cannot see.

Walk with God.
We will walk in the name of the Lord our God forever and ever.—Micah 4:5

O Christ, the keeper of us all,
Let Thy right hand guard and protect me day and night, when I rest at home, when I walk in my work abroad, when I lie down and when I rise up, that I may not anywhere fail.
I commit my whole being unto Thee; take charge of me; provide for all my real needs, from this moment forth and always.
—Saint Nerses (4th century)

Walk in the light! Thy path shall be
A path, though thorny, bright;
For God, by grace, shall dwell in thee,
And God Himself is light.
—Bernard Barton (1784–1849)

Lord, help me to walk with You all the days of my life.

—

Mark 1:35 (ESV) And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed.

Genesis 3:8 (ESV) And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden.

Hebrews 11:8 (ESV) By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going.