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Of all the forms of exercise that humans can choose, perhaps the most universally accepted and practiced form is walking. There are all sorts and types of walking that one can do. It can be fast, slow, intense, leisurely, long, short, uphill, downhill, straight, or crooked. It can be in the heat of the day or in the cool of the evening. It can be done alone, as a couple, in a small group, or even in huge numbers to raise funds for some worthy cause. There are almost as many styles of walking as there are people on the earth. Some have such distinct walks that their identity can be determined merely by seeing the particular gait for which they are known.

The Bible talks about walking. In fact, the first use of the word walk in the Bible as pertains to humankind is in reference to Enoch, a faithful prophet of God and the father of Methuselah. However, the word walk in this connection has reference to Enoch’s spiritual walk. “After he begot Methuselah, Enoch walked with God three hundred years, and had sons and daughters. So all the days of Enoch were three hundred and sixty-five years. And Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took him.” (Genesis 5.22-24).

The New Testament talks about spiritual walks also. We will notice a sampling of some of these passages as they pertain to approved and unapproved types of walking. The churches in “…Judea, Galilee, and Samaria had peace and were edified. And walking in the fear of the Lord and comfort of the Holy Spirit, they were multiplied.” (Acts 9.31). Some faithful believers were described as people who “…walk in the steps of the faith which our father Abraham had.” (Romans 4.12). For the newly converted, Paul said, “…even so we also should walk in newness of life.” (Romans 6.4). In a verse chocked full of meaning, Paul charges, “If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.” (Galatians 5.25). Describing the entirety of the Christian life, Paul again noted, “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them [good works].” (Ephesians 2.10).

Inspired writers other than Paul also had things to say our Christian footsteps. We will note a few of these saying: “But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.” (1 John 1.7). “I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.” (3 John 1.4). Peter contrasted his current walk with his past walk; “For we have spent enough of our past lifetime in doing the will of the Gentiles——when we walked [note the past tense] in lewdness, lusts, drunkenness, revelries, drinking parties, and abominable idolatries.

For good measure we will throw in a few scattered passages, but for sake of space they will appear without their citations. “Walk in love... Walk in Him [Christ]... Walk in wisdom... Walk in the Spirit...” There are also some negative commands regarding walking. “Not walking in craftiness... If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth...”

I find it interesting that the Holy Spirit used this simple metaphor so effectively in defining the right and wrong types of exercises that we as human beings can participate in spiritually. It simply means that, like any other type of exercise, we need to choose wisely and in the case of spiritual exercise, ALWAYS consult our personal Great Physician!

Questions:

1. What does it mean to walk in Christ? How does that differ, if any, from the command to walk in the truth?

2. Why would Paul liken the walk of a newly baptized believer to the “newness of life”?

3. Why is walking in craftiness prohibited by the Holy Spirit? What would it mean to walk in craftiness?

4. Why did John choose walking in darkness to represent not practicing the truth?

"Refreshment in Refuge" from Gina Burgess

Things that go bump in the night