Devotion for Today "Walk Worthy" I Thess. 2:10-12
Walking is good exercize. I have found that walking helps my whole
outlook and perspective. I am not what you would call a dedicated
walker, because I have missed my walking routine during the
winter months. At least once a week I try to go to the gym and walk on the
treadmill, the treadmill is a poor substitute to getting out and enjoying
the fresh air, the beautiful scenery around our little country town,
and spending time talking to God. While the grey pall hangs over the
continent, I look forward to when I can get back out again.
Today our devotion focuses not just on walking, but upon how one walks.
As much as I enjoy my walks I know that there are places that I
cannot go. A German farmer would not appreciate me walking through
his newly sewn field. The Hausfrau would certainly have some things
to say to me should I walk through her bed of tulips. Those are places
to look at but not to walk through. A house burned down in our
community right before Christmas. The rubble and debris was piled up
right outside of Mittel Gruendau. I would get myself hurt if I were
to walk through those piles of debris. A commuter rail line runs
through our community and stops at a station. There is a sign on the
edge of the line which reads: "Eintritt Verboten." In equivilent
English it means "No Trespassing." If I were to walk there, I would
not only be violating someone else's property but might also be run
over by a train.
You get the idea. It is not enough that we walk, but that we walk in
the right places and in the right ways. Such an idea was conveyed by
the Apostle Paul when he wrote in I Thessalonians 2:10-12 "You are
witnesses, and God also, how devoutly and justly and blamelessly we
behaved ourselves among you who believe; as you know how we exhorted,
and comforted, and charged every one of you, as a father does his own
children, that you would walk worthy of God who calls you into His
own Kingdom and glory."
It is important that our behavior as believers in Jesus Christ reflects
the priviledge we were called to bear. We are to walk not as swaggering
gang members and hoodlums, but as sons and daughters of the King of
kings and Lord of lords. We walk not as entitled, but as priviledged.
We did not earn the right to do this- it was given to us by God. In
fact we do not walk because we are worthy, but as we are worthy. That
worthiness was not innately within us; God gave us that worthiness.
When you walk, how do you walk? Do you walk as worthy? Begin focusing
on those steps today.
Walking is good exercize. I have found that walking helps my whole
outlook and perspective. I am not what you would call a dedicated
walker, because I have missed my walking routine during the
winter months. At least once a week I try to go to the gym and walk on the
treadmill, the treadmill is a poor substitute to getting out and enjoying
the fresh air, the beautiful scenery around our little country town,
and spending time talking to God. While the grey pall hangs over the
continent, I look forward to when I can get back out again.
Today our devotion focuses not just on walking, but upon how one walks.
As much as I enjoy my walks I know that there are places that I
cannot go. A German farmer would not appreciate me walking through
his newly sewn field. The Hausfrau would certainly have some things
to say to me should I walk through her bed of tulips. Those are places
to look at but not to walk through. A house burned down in our
community right before Christmas. The rubble and debris was piled up
right outside of Mittel Gruendau. I would get myself hurt if I were
to walk through those piles of debris. A commuter rail line runs
through our community and stops at a station. There is a sign on the
edge of the line which reads: "Eintritt Verboten." In equivilent
English it means "No Trespassing." If I were to walk there, I would
not only be violating someone else's property but might also be run
over by a train.
You get the idea. It is not enough that we walk, but that we walk in
the right places and in the right ways. Such an idea was conveyed by
the Apostle Paul when he wrote in I Thessalonians 2:10-12 "You are
witnesses, and God also, how devoutly and justly and blamelessly we
behaved ourselves among you who believe; as you know how we exhorted,
and comforted, and charged every one of you, as a father does his own
children, that you would walk worthy of God who calls you into His
own Kingdom and glory."
It is important that our behavior as believers in Jesus Christ reflects
the priviledge we were called to bear. We are to walk not as swaggering
gang members and hoodlums, but as sons and daughters of the King of
kings and Lord of lords. We walk not as entitled, but as priviledged.
We did not earn the right to do this- it was given to us by God. In
fact we do not walk because we are worthy, but as we are worthy. That
worthiness was not innately within us; God gave us that worthiness.
When you walk, how do you walk? Do you walk as worthy? Begin focusing
on those steps today.
Have a blessed day!
(From 29 March 2001)
Rev. Jeffery C. Russell
Devotion for Today
Salem Baptist Church
Elizabeth City, NC
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