Devotion for Today: Devotion for Today "Walk Worthy" I Thess. 2:10-12

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.

From 29 March 2001

Rev. Jeffery C. Russell
Salem Baptist Church
Elizabeth City, NC
jefferyrussell@embarqmail.com

jcrussell@liberty.edu

Devotion for Today