March 4 Daily Devotional

Bible Reading

Devotional

Walking is one of the most basic activities in our daily routines. In our fitness conscious society walking is highly recommended as a good form of exercise for a healthy lifestyle. Every parent gets excited when a child learns to walk. Those first steps are preciously engraved into our minds! A person who cannot walk is disadvantaged in so many ways; your life is completely altered when you cannot walk.

The life of a child of God is frequently described in terms of walking. To obtain true happiness we may not walk wherever we please. Ephesians 5:15 cautions us to be careful how we walk and Psalm 1:1 says, “Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly.” Too often we limit “walking in the counsel of the ungodly” to those things that are obviously wrong. We can just as easily be walking the way of the ungodly by carrying on as if God doesn't exist or as if He hasn't told us how we should live with Him and others. For example, we are walking the way of the ungodly when:

• Our behaviour, attitude and the way we speak to our employer or employee shows no fruit of the Spirit.
• Our desire to succeed in business, to be the best, or to be shining stars is what drives us.
• We simply work for a pay-cheque or use the years of our retirement for our own enjoyment.
• We bully, leave out, or pick on others.

The Psalm highlights a progression from walking, to sitting, to standing. Blessed is the man who does not walk, sit or stand in the company of the unrighteous.

The next time you plan to go out for a walk with someone remember your whole life is about walking with God. That is the best exercise you can get. It's good for your heart, your soul and your mind. Look carefully at how you walk and keep in step with the Spirit. For the Spirit gives you the right counsel as He constantly directs you to Christ.