THE VALUE IN EACH STEP!
Sunday’s Monday
This title is derived from a recent BOB Group meeting I attended and during pre-meeting conversations, the subject of steps came up from a comment made about walking with Jesus. That led to George Condeelis and I talking about the steps we take in following Jesus and how we sometimes get out of step and God’s Holy Spirit faithfully guides us back. One of us made the comparison of age and extra steps to which I added “at my age (73) I don’t have the energy, time, or desire to spend in backtracking. I make a deliberate effort to operate from God’s wisdom, in order to limit mistakes and missteps. Ergo, I go to God first thing in the morning and stay with Him all day. Now, this doesn’t make those of us sporting white hair perfect, or above reproach however, it does help us to keep our steps ordered by our Lord and as we’ve learned what keeps us in line with Psalm 37:23-24 (ESV), 23 The steps of a man are established by the Lord when he delights in his way; 24 though he falls, he shall not be cast headlong, for the Lord upholds his hand.
God just dropped an old song titled “Every Breath You Take" into my memory. Written in 1982 by Sting and the lyrics say, “Every breath you take, And every move you make, Every bond you break, Every step you take, I'll be watching you.” I believe this with all my heart! We will never have a moment when we are not being watched either by self, or others and always by God’s Holy Spirit. Please; don’t be confused by the two titles, his speaks to breath, and mine deals with steps because taking the lyrics into context, I think you’ll see how it all ties together to make us better human beings and to become more effective representatives of Jesus in our immediate world. For example, in Psalm 150:6 (ESV), Let everything that has breath praise the Lord! Praise the Lord! As well we find in 1 John 2:6 (ESV), whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked. Everything Jesus did was (and is) to better someone else.
Even though this song wasn’t written to be a spiritual psalm, the words could certainly imply otherwise. I’m told the ability to see the spiritual within the natural comes not as a gift but as growth in spiritual maturity. The point I wish to make (every day) consciously become more deliberate about being nice and kind to the people we meet in our daily comings and goings, our world will change for the better. I don’t imagine the songwriter had Isaiah 58:6 (ESV), 6 “Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the straps of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke? Or Proverbs 5:21 (ESV), 21 For a man's ways are before the eyes of the Lord, and he ponders all his paths: in mind, “but God did!”
Once we truly believe Psalm 139:7 (ESV), Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence? If we could ever get to the point of our heads being in total agreement with our hearts that God really sees everything, maybe, just maybe, our thoughts and actions will change more toward loving Him and serving each other. Truth is, the true value of each step we take will be measured through the lives we improve while we’re here. Media reports, that churches in the U.S. are closing because people have stopped believing in God and that is partially correct but the reality is people have stopped adding value to their steps. Which is leaving generations to live like the world instead of in the world. Once we walk like everyone else we look like everyone else! Now! Please hear this! “You get what you give!” I know! I have wasted so many steps in my lifetime, leaving a path of valueless self-centeredness to be followed. However today, I’m making a deliberate effort to let God guide my steps for His Glory! Again, don’t see what isn’t written. I’m not suggesting you go out and save everyone you meet, that is not your job. You’ll turn more away than God will gain! I am saying, “go out with a desire to be diligent and passionate toward the well-being of others, sharing respectful encouragement, and caring for everyone you come in contact with today. Realize, this is to be perpetual, as tomorrow will soon be today; (wash and repeat). We may not change the whole world but we’ll certainly see a difference in the little world in which we live.
Lord, I petition you this week on behalf of mankind that we be infected with your incurable truth found in Isaiah 48:17 (ESV), Thus says the Lord, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: “I am the Lord your God, who teaches you to profit, who leads you in the way you should go. May we learn from loving and following you the value in the steps you have prepared for us to take in transforming our immediate world into, “as it is in Heaven, so may it be on earth?” Amen
HAVE A BLESSED WEEK BY BEING A BLESSING TO OTHERS!
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