Let’s Go For a Walk
David M. Schmaltz
Before the running craze, there was this thing called walking. Walking really wasn’t so much a form of exercise, but a form of travel. I don’t remember seeing anybody run in my neighborhood when I was a kid. And, before I could ride a bike or got a car, which didn’t happen until I was 18, I walked everywhere – miles at a time. If the distance was ridiculously far, I would get a ride.
After I asked Christ into my heart, I would go out on prayer walks even during the snowy winters. These walks were my most precious times of meeting with God. I eventually invited my brother Greg, and we would talk about our lives and silently pray. I also preached to him. God bless him for tolerating me! It felt so good to get that clean air in my lungs and helped my soul adapt to the new life I was living. It helped me wade through a world of growing confusion too.
Walking, we have since learned, is really like medicine. The benefits to spirit, soul, and body cannot be touted enough. And, it makes sense too. Check out this Harvard Study:
“Walking can help protect you during cold and flu season. A study of over 1,000 men and women found that those who walked at least 20 minutes a day, at least 5 days a week, had 43% fewer sick days than those who exercised once a week or less.”
https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/5-surprising-benefits-of-walking
This article mentions many other benefits of walking that are just simply amazing.
God encourages us to walk! First in the Spirit, and then in the natural as it says. Perhaps we have this backwards here on Earth. The Scripture encourages us to walk in two very powerful ways:
For we walk by faith, not by sight. 2 Cor. 5:7. So I say, walk by the Spirit. Gal. 5:16
I love to see how Scripture literally gives us the solutions to living a good life in all the aspects that we exist. In addition to physically walking every day, God expands.
Walking by faith and not by sight will protect you from fear and discouragement because it often is the things that we see or read that can distract us the most. Walking by faith means that when you live and move through your day, you should walk in such way that you look through the eyes of Kingdom, of faith to believe that nothing is impossible with God. Consequently, what you see or hear will be screened through faith in God’s word every single time.
Walking in the Spirit is another level indeed. We have not been given a spirit of fear. But, rather a soul that is led, if we so allow, by the Holy Spirit in faith. This is no small walk. Walking with the knowledge and confidence that the Holy Spirit is helping us push through every attack, every intimidation, and every lie will lead to freedom from sin, fear, sickness, and death.
We have learned that walking is a very powerful gift from God. Don’t you just love the simple truths?
Have a great day!
Pastor David