Learning to Walk
“There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.” Romans 8:1
“Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.” Galatians 5:1
“Lara, stop looking at where you have fallen,” God’s Spirit spoke to me early one day just before I finished my still-dark-outside, indoors prayer walking, i.e. walking back and forth in an empty room while praising, praying, and seeking the Lord’s face. “Stand up and walk with me.”
Just minutes before, He had said to me, “Stand fast.” Clearly He wanted me to stand – and walk. To walk with Him. Why was this on His heart for me? Not just because I had fallen plentifully into sin in days past, not to mention years past. Falling into sin despite how desperately I wanted to please the Lord and not fall into any sin at all. I know I’m human. People constantly tell me, “You’re human Lara. You’re going to mess up.” I am so passionately, emphatically, relentlessly in love with God and His Word there is nothing I hate more than sinning and hurting my Father’s heart. Why that very day was God speaking to me about standing and walking with Him? I had fallen again into a dangerous place. Condemnation.
Does a baby learning to walk spend all its time looking backwards at where it has fallen, ruminating like a cow chewing its cud continually on all its falls, always looking in the rear view mirror, discouraged, depressed, miserable, worried, filled with self-hatred and disgust because it keeps falling as it learns to walk? No! A healthy baby learning to walk STANDS. And WALKS. The baby confidently, gleefully, excitedly reaches out its hand to take the outstretched hand of the loving adult encouraging the baby to walk by his or her side. But how many of us are prone instead of focusing on God and His Word and diligently, joyfully learning to walk with Him, keep our hearts and eyes focused on the ground behind us lost in all our falls? The devil wants us to fall into self-condemnation and forget Jesus Christ paid the price for our sins and that once we repent, we can grab God’s hand and keep walking. We need to stand fast, i.e. firmly, steadfastly, loyally, keep learning to walk with the Lord. Forgiveness, freedom, God’s strength, and His loving, faithful guiding hand are for those who faithfully follow Jesus.
Stand fast – and walk! Walk with the Lord! Leave condemnation behind. Walk in freedom!