Take a Walk with Me

 

[Moses said] “The whole commandment that I command you today you shall be careful to do, that you may live and multiply, and go in and possess the land that the Lord swore to give to your fathers. And you shall remember the whole way that the Lord your God has led you these forty years in the wilderness, that he might humble you, testing you to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep his commandments or not. And he humbled you and let you hunger and fed you with manna, which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that he might make you know that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord. Your clothing did not wear out on you and your foot did not swell these forty years. Know then in your heart that, as a man disciplines his son, the Lord your God disciplines you. So you shall keep the commandments of the Lord your God by walking in his ways and by fearing him.” (Deuteronomy 8:1-6 ESV).

 

The picture I’ve chosen to begin a short series of devotionals for the next few days was taken at sunset in Cades Cove. For those of you who may not be familiar with this beautiful place, it is nestled in the midst of the Great Smoky Mountain National Park which stretches through border between North Carolina and Tennessee. Whenever Mary and I are able to travel there we are amazed by the majesty of God’s creation. We’ve been making that trip for over fifty years at various times of the year. When we were younger it would not have been unusual to stop and take a short walk along one of the easy trails through the mountains. They are called “quiet walkways.” Views like this photo are common along the trails. I hope these devotionals will give you some views into the heart and mind of God so that you may be encouraged… Come, Take a Walk with Me!

 

In our reading today, Moses is speaking to the people of Israel, specifically urging them to be obedient to God's commands. He reminds them of God's blessings and guidance during their 40 years in the wilderness and emphasizes the importance of remembering and not forgetting God's goodness. Moses uses this as a basis for cautioning them against pride and forgetting God when they enter the Promised Land.

 

Walking was the most common way for people to go from place to place in the days of the Old Testament. It’s no surprise, then, that walking is mentioned more than 200 times in the Bible. Whether people took short strolls or long journeys, they moved forward one step at a time. In the Bible, the Hebrew word for “walk” (halak) can also refer to following God and living for him in his world. God’s people had been walking in the wilderness for 40 years. And now, preparing to enter the land that God had promised them, they were reminded to walk in the ways of the Lord and to honor God in all they would do. And God promised to bless them abundantly.

 

That is our promise as well. Wherever we “walk” today, on short strolls or a long journey, each step should remind us to walk in God’s ways and to honor him. Make that your commitment as we take our little walk together!