Deuteronomy 8:6 “Observe the commands of the Lord your God by walking in His ways and by fearing Him.”

The quote by Henry Ford, “Those who walk with God, always reach their destination,” got me thinking. I love to walk. For decades, my husband and I have risen early to get in a rigorous mall-walk. Most would consider the words “rigorous” and “mall-walk” to be incompatible, never to be used in the same sentence. However, at 5:30 in the mornings we can be found running up and down the mall stairs and lapping all the other mall-walkers. It could become a prideful thing except the next spryest walker is twenty years our senior.

Sometimes in the evenings, I join friends for a walk-and-talk. We chat about our day, our lives, our children, and our jobs. We share stories, encouragement, prayers, laughter, and sometimes tears. This walk is mostly social and spiritual.

Then, there are times I choose to walk, just because I can! I’ve been known to drive around the parking lot to find a parking spot farthest from the entrance. My family thinks I’m crazy, but hey, sometimes I just want to walk.

Notice I haven’t mentioned running. Do you know why? I don’t like it! (Notice the exclamation mark at the end of that sentence.) Oh, I’ve tried it. My son talked my husband and me into running a half-marathon through the hills of Tennessee, and believe me, Tennessee has lots of hills. By the grace of God, I finished the race that day, but it wasn’t pretty. There will be no more such silliness from me! (Notice another exclamation mark.)

So, I walk. Sometimes the walk exhausts me and sometimes it energizes me. There are mornings I don’t care to walk, but with the encouragement of my husband, I walk. There are mornings I walk fast and mornings I can barely place one foot in front of the other. Sometimes, I stray from my normal path to a new route and sometimes I walk in auto-pilot mode, unaware of my husband walking beside me.

My spiritual walk with God in so many ways resembles my physical walk! Sometimes my faith life is filled with energy and excitement in doing God’s will. But sometimes I’m tired, I’m burdened, and my walk with Him is labored. There are times my walk with God is purposeful and uplifting and times when I resent the path He calls me to travel. There are days my spiritual walk defaults to auto pilot mode, and I give no thought to my steps nor realize the presence of my Heavenly Father right beside me.

Our life’s walk should lead us upward to the heavenly finish line, and good old Henry had the answer. “Those who walk with God, always reach their destination.”

Father God, help us walk with You.

Blessings,

Rita Cochrane