The Art of Walking!

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THE ART of WALKING

 

The other night, I sat down with my kids and read to them the story of Noah and the flood directly from the pages of the Bible. Soon after, my boys asked a very profound question: "Dad, were all the people bad? Why did God destroy all of 'em?" My response was: "Yes boys, God destroyed them because they were wicked." Then they said: "But what about Noah?" I told them that Noah chose to "walk with God," therefore God chose to spare Noah and his family. Then my boys had this strange look on their face and said, "Dad we walk with you." And they do. Just about every day they get on their little scooters and go with me on a walk around the neighborhood. I knew that they could see the semblance; therefore, I took my opportunity to teach.

I asked my twin boys if they could tell me what it is that we do when we walk together. They said, "We have fun, Dad!" Then I explained: "Well, kids, Noah had fun with God." I wanted to go a little deeper, so I asked another question: "Boys, what else happens when we go for a walk?" "Ummm..." Apparently, they BOTH had a brain freeze.

 I told them that the first requirement to go on a walk is that we had to have a relationship with one another. I told them that If I didn't know them, and they didn't know me, that we could not go on walks together. I told them that God gave us all the ability to walk with Him when He sent His Son, Jesus, to die on the cross for us-to take our punishment for our wickedness. That enabled us to have a relationship with the Lord and to "walk" with Him.

Secondly, I told them that they had to want to go with me on the walks; that I would not force them into going. Then I explained the third element-one most people don't like too well. I told them that when we walk they (my boys) have to follow my rules-stay out of the center of the road, be courteous of other walkers, bikers etc.-for their own safety and protection.  And of course, I told them that the final element is that I really like it when they talk with me on the journey. What "walk" would be complete without mutual communication between one another.

          Indeed, we make the Christian Journey to be a very difficult thing. But even kids understand what it means to walk with their dad. Let's recap.

 

  • 1) Have a relationship. (God enabled us to walk with Him-it's nothing we've done)
  • 2) Have fun. (How much fun you have rests on numbers 3-5)
  • 3) They have to desire the fellowship. (God won't force you to "walk" with Him)
  • 4) Follow the rules. (This is not always fun, but ensures safety and protection. In the long run, following the rules is much more fun than the consequences of not following them. It might be fun to walk in the center of the road, and my boys might think I am holding something fun from them, but if they were to get hit by a car, they'd know why the rules are in place and that following them is much more fun!)
  • 5) Communicate. (Daddy loves it when you talk to him)

 

In no particular order, God spared Noah in judgment, because he "walked" with God! I didn't make this up folks, it what the Bible says.

 

5 Then the LORD[b] saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. 6 And the LORD was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart. 7 So the LORD said, "I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth, both man and beast, creeping thing and birds of the air, for I am sorry that I have made them." 8 But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD.    
9 This is the genealogy of Noah. Noah was a just man, perfect in his generations. Noah walked with God. Gen. 6

 

And Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him. Gen. 5:24

 

When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to him and said: "I am God the Almighty. Walk in my presence and be blameless. Genesis 17:1

You have been told, O man, what is good, and what the LORD requires of you: Only to do the right and to love goodness, and to walk humbly with your God. Micah 6:8

 

5 There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the division of Abijah. His wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. 6 And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless. Luke 1:5-6

 

*In the Bible, "walking" with God is a figure of speech which means the way they conducted their lives in respect to the Lord.