Genesis 17:1 – When Abram was ninety-nine years old the Lord appeared to Abram and said to him, “I am God Almighty; walk before me, and be blameless.
THEME OF THE DAY. WHY WALK WITH GOD? It may seem like a “no brainer” question – “Why walk with God?”, but the only people who would see this question as obvious are those in the minority who do strive to walk with Him. Look around the world, even our own little worlds. Most people don’t walk with Him. In fact, most people don’t even think about God. Now before we are tempted to think the answers are so obvious as to why walk with God, let’s allow a little humility to settle into our hearts and minds.
When is the last time we asked ourselves the question, “Why do I walk with God?” When is the last time we separated ourselves from all life’s demands and did some serious self-examination along the lines, “Why do I walk with God?” If it requires real effort to remember the last time we did this or cannot remember when we recently obeyed the command to examine ourselves, there exists the danger of going through the motions of Christianity and lacking the realities of Biblical Christianity. The Apostle Paul told us to “Examine ourselves to see if we are in the faith. Test ourselves” (2 Corinthians 13:5). He did not do so to create doubt of our walks with the Lord. He did so to affirm our walks with the Lord. So, let’s do that; let’s answer the question for our spiritual good, “Why walk with God?” In doing so, we remind ourselves of our Christian identify, and may discover a need to make some changes in our lives if we are a little off course in our walk with the living God.
First, we walk with God because He is God. Don’t just gloss over the obvious. God is our Creator. We are His creation. The fundamental truth in all of life is God created everything and everyone making everything and everyone His. The proper response from the only rational being in the created world, human beings, is to submit to and follow the Creator God. However, due to sin, we are not capable of this. Unless we experience new birth through Christ, the first answer in why walk with God will not be experienced. But let’s assume all of us are reconciled with our Creator-God. And because of being in Christ, there now follow three other answers to the question, “Why walk with God?”
We walk with God because He is worthy (Revelation 4 and 5). Nothing or no one compares with our God. He is majestic in glory; beautiful in holiness; and beyond compare. This is enough of a reason to walk with Him. He is worthy of our glad submission and obedience. Marvel over His worthiness and a walk of worship will follow.
Another answer as to why we walk with God is the staggering truth He invites us to do so. Read the Gospels. Pay attention to the many invitations given by Jesus to come to Him, to know Him, and to follow Him. Get lost in the amazing grace of God that He would “stoop down” and invite us to walk with Him. We could stop right here and that one truth is enough for us to walk wholeheartedly with Him now and forever.
A final answer in seeking to answer the question, “Why walk with God?” is that only in walking with Him will true happiness be found. Apart from a close relationship with the Lord Jesus, we cannot find lasting contentment, satisfaction, and soul rest. Only God puts the heart at ease. Only God can make glad the sorrowful soul. He has declared that only in Him is life and that abundant (John 10:10). As we stated in the opening paragraph, most people in the world don’t walk with God and they are miserable. It must be this way when the Creator, Redeemer, and Satisfier of the human heart is absent.
So, “Why walk with God?”. Yes, it is a “no brainer” of a question, but a question that is healthy to ask periodically. Such self-examination will keep us fulfilling the reason why God saved – to walk with Him in fullness of joy.
PRAYER: “Father, thank You for the privilege of walking with You now and for eternity.”
QUOTE: “The happiest way to walk through this life is with the One who gives life.”