Walking With God

What does it mean to walk with God? What does it look like? What does it feel like? How do you know if you’re walking with God? How do you know if you’re not? How does one find God’s stride? How difficult is it to keep up? What happens if you lag behind, or run ahead?

I think most Christians want to walk with God. We pray and ask God to guide us, to show us the way he’d have us go. We seek His direction before we make decisions. And then we get moving in the direction we believe God would have us go.

It seems God likes to walk with His children. In Genesis, God walked in the Garden with Adam and Eve in the cool of the day. Imagine how wonderful those walks would have been. Adam and Eve probably looked forward to walking with God each day and chatting with Him.

But things changed, and walking with God became a spiritual endeavor. God told Abraham:

“I am God Almighty, walk before me faithfully and be blameless.” – Genesis 17:1 NIV

When we become Christians we start our walk with God. Our daily lives are our walk with God. How closely we walk with God is revealed in every decision we make – not just the big things – but everything. God wants us to love Him and be faithful to Him. To be men and women of integrity. To represent Him in every facet of our lives: our work, our relationships, our homes, our churches, our status updates. Would you describe the daily routine of your life as faithful? Blameless?

God also tells us that when we walk with Him, He will direct our path:

“Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, ‘This is the way; walk in it.’” – Isaiah 30:21 NIV

In order to hear God, we must be close to Him; and, we must be listening. When we hear His direction, we must choose to obey. He speaks to us through His Word – the Bible, through His indwelling Holy Spirit, and through other Christians. Are you listening? Are you yielding to His direction?

God also tells us what walking with Him looks like:

“And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” – Micah 6:8 NIV

Walking humbling means that you let go of pride. You walk where God would have you walk. You walk through the doors He opens; you don’t have to beat them down. Are you letting God lead the way?

God tells us what the motive is for walking with Him: Love…

“And this is love: that we walk in obedience to his commands. As you have heard from the beginning his command is that you walk in love.” – 2 John 6

We walk with God because we love God, and because God loves us. We walk with God when we choose to obey Him, and when we choose to love other people. The world will know we are Christians when we walk in love. Does love motivate your walk with God? Does His love flow through you to others?

God also illumines the way so that we won’t get lost:

“Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.” – Psalm 119:105

God’s will never contradicts His Word. The Bible is our guide. It is the light that keeps us from stumbling in the dark. Are you walking in the light of God’s Word?

In trying to walk obediently with God, Brian and I find ourselves on the road to Texas. It is still a bit unbelievable that we are moving. We never really had Texas on our radar screen until recently. And, in the course of events, God has given us a desire to move there, He has opened doors, and we are faithfully walking through them.

We know that He has a wonderful plan for us, and when He tells us to turn to the left or to the right, we will turn. We are excited to see what work He has for us deep in the heart of Texas.

Trusting that we are not lagging behind, or running ahead, but holding tight to the hand of the One who leads us, we are walking on.

“Come, descendants of Jacob, let us walk in the light of the lord.” – Isaiah 2:5 NIV