We rely heavily on our automobiles to get us to school, work, church, shopping and the remainder of our leisure activities. In fact, in the United States, the average number of miles we put on our cars is 12,000 miles per year. Some people spend more time in an airplane than in a car, zipping around the world. Whether we travel by car or airplane, all of our lives seem to be more inclined to getting us there faster and allowing us to go farther. Something got left out in the mix, and that is walking.
Jesus walked a lot. He grew up in Nazareth, and as devout Jews were required to go to Jerusalem three times a year for the feasts of Passover (Matzos), Weeks (Shavuot) and Tabernacles (Sukkot), Jesus would have walked 240 miles roundtrip, three times a year. In 25 years, that adds up to 18,000 miles. During the three year ministry of Jesus, a guess would be that He walked an average of 15-20 miles a day. Walking allows an individual to do a lot of reflecting on the situations at hand. Additionally, it is a great time to pray to God, or to talk with a good friend. Unlike running, walking doesn’t have us out of breath, typically. It is slow but methodical progress. Let’s see how that relates to our Christian walks:
16 I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. 17 For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.
Galatians 5:16
This passage says nothing about running in the Spirit, driving in the Spirit or flying in the Spirit. It sounds like it is more of a slow, methodical progress than what Forrest Gump would do! It may be true that “Delta gets you there,” but in this case, faster and farther isn’t the answer. When we walk with the Lord, we have moments when we are walking closely to Him, and other moments when we are not so close. When His desires are at the forefront, we are walking in the Spirit. Yet when our worldly desires get in the way, we find ourselves walking in the flesh. It is truly, "The Long and Winding Road," and it leads to His door!
6 For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. 7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. 8 So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God.
Romans 8:6-8
Verse 8 sums it up. We cannot please God when we are walking in the flesh. Yet keep in mind that when the Lord looks at His chosen, He sees the righteousness of God in you, rather than the person who continues to stumble and fall. As much as we desire to run to God, He desires for us to walk with Him. It reminds me of the chorus of the hymn “In the Garden,” written in 1913 by C. Austin Miles, “He walks with me and He talks with me and tells me I am His own, and the joy we share as we tarry there, none other has ever known.” Take a walk with Jesus!
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