Walking with God
As a means of seeking God during my sabbatical, one of my goals is to read the entire Bible over the course of the summer. Yesterday, I finished the book of Genesis. As I did, one of the themes that kept jumping out was the theme of walking. Here are a few examples:
Genesis 3:8 – “Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day…”
Genesis 5:22 – “Enoch walked faithfully with God…”
Genesis 6:9 – “Noah was a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time, and he walked faithfully with God.”
Genesis 13:17 – “Go, walk through the length and breadth of the land, for I am giving it to you.”
Genesis 17:1 – “The Lord appeared to him (Abram) and said, ‘I am God Almighty; walk before me faithfully and be blameless.’”
In Bible times, people walked to get anywhere they needed to go. There were no bicycles, golf carts, SUVs, airplanes, trains, or scooters. Only the wealthy or those on important journeys would ride animals like donkeys, horses, or camels. So “walking” wasn’t just a figure of speech—it was daily life!
As a result, walking became a perfect analogy for being in a relationship with God. When we walk with somebody, we are present with them. We have times of silence, but also times of fluid and unscripted conversation. We take in the scenery and build shared experiences. “Did you see that deer?” “Look at how beautiful the sky is!”
God’s intention for us is not just that we believe in Him, but that we are in relationship with Him. When we walk with Him, we have an awareness that we are present with the Lord, and He is present with us. We talk to Him about our thoughts, our joys, and our concerns. We also take time to listen and, hopefully, hear the promptings and nudges of His Spirit.
And when we walk with God, we don’t take as much for granted. We see blessings that we can easily miss in the daily grind of life. We also experience a profound sense of gratitude for the things we’re tempted to overlook.
Today, I began my Camino by walking 15.6 miles over the Pyrenees Mountains. It was exhausting and exhilarating.
I walked it with a good friend from Illinois.
I walked it with fellow pilgrims I met along the way from Australia, South Korea, Holland, Germany, Spain, France, Israel, Wisconsin, Ohio, New Hampshire, and California.
Most importantly, I walked it with God.
