Hey Friend…Let’s Go For A Walk

An Invitation to Walk thru Scripture

God said to Abram…“Go, walk through the length and breadth of the land, for I am giving it to you.” Genesis 13:17 NIV

Recently I called a friend and asked her to go for a walk. No agenda…just a walk!  An opportunity to get some fresh air and good conversation.  Unfortunately, we couldn’t go that day, but later she shared with me that the invitation to walk meant a lot to her.  She said that she felt blessed to be asked to walk; to be connected as friends and to enjoy the company of one another.

What happens in those moments as we walk with a friend?

              Laughter…Tears…Fears…Hopes…Dreams…Hurts…and Victories…

LIFE!

Let’s go for a walk…

this is an invitation to give us more than physical exercise…

it’s an invitation for connection.

In the book of Genesis, we are looking at the part of the story when Abram and Lot had parted ways. Lot was Abram’s nephew and because Lot had lost his father when he was a young boy, Abram took him in as his own. They had spent their lives together.  Throughout their lives, God had blessed them both with such abundance that they both couldn’t fit on the same land.  So, God said for them to part ways. Abram told his nephew that he wanted him to pick first.  When Lot looked at the two choices available to him, he chose to go toward the east. The land that he chose was full of beauty.  By default, Abram went toward the west to the land that Lot had rejected.

As Abram settled in the west land, , God took Abram for a walk. Imagine this with me…

God says, “Let’s go for a walk.”

Abram replies, “Okay God, just let me grab my jacket and put on my sandals.” 

Then God replies, “You better put on your hiking boots instead of your sandals. We have a long journey ahead of us. Some of the terrain is rocky. There may be a bit of climbing, but then we will enjoy some smoother and flatter surfaces too.  We will encounter some beautiful scenery along the way but we will also face some challenging surfaces so your boots will give you some stability and help you on the slippery surfaces.  Some trails will be short in and out trails, but some will be long loops.  You might want to bring your backpack too and your water bottle.”

Abram, “Sounds good, God. I’ll meet you outside in a few minutes.

                             Hey God…

thanks for the invitation!”

In this scripture, God invites Abram to go for a walk. God tells Abram to walk as far as he can…” walk the length and breadth of the land” …as far as you can walk, it’s yours! 

But…

YOU HAVE TO WALK!

If Abram had chosen to stand in one place and claim the land that only his eyes could see as he stood still, he would have limited his territory therefore limiting the work that God wanted to do in his life. But instead, Abram went for a walk with God and as he walked, his territory expanded with each step.

God, too, is asking for us to go for a walk. As we walk along side of God, our territory will increase.

One of the amazing ways that God wants to increase our territory is through knowing His word. His word is filled with amazing treasure just waiting for us to find. But often we stand frozen in one place because we don’t know how to navigate it.  Therefore, our territory becomes very limited.

God hasn’t asked us to start walking with a blind fold on in hopes that we will stumble across the hidden treasures. He has given us a trail map to follow.  If we refer to this map as we are walking, it will help us navigate the twists and turns of the path.  Sometimes it will give us information for what is ahead of us and will also give us obstacles that we want to avoid if possible.   Sometimes we will come across a fallen tree or unexpected creature of nature. It is in those moments that we may need to grab the hand of a friend and lean into their strength and wisdom. As we walk together, we will discover the truths and the treasures that are waiting for us.

I believe the same promise that God gave Abram is the same promise he gives you and I when it comes to the scriptures.  God promises us that as we walk in His word, that He will give us clarity and understanding. He tells us that He wants to give all of it to us…

all of His promises…

all of His grace…

all of His mercy…

but He can only give us what we seek for ourselves!

That is what I would like for “THE WALK” to be for you.  A place where you can get some clarity and insight into scripture.  A place where you can comment on what this reading meant to you. Or maybe ask a friend on this walk how they are surviving this journey. 

We may not be able to walk side by side or face to face, but we can walk hand in hand as we navigate life through the lens of God’s word.

I love to read God’s word and I love telling stories within the scriptures.  Stories that may help make God’s word come to life for you or maybe push you into a deeper space for yourself.  We all struggle in life…that is why it’s called life. But I would rather struggle with someone than struggle alone.

Friend, how about we pick up this map together, God’s word, and go for a walk. As we walk, let’s discover together some of the hidden mysteries in His word. At times, grab my hand and let me show you some of these treasures. At other times, let go of my hand and navigate this path on your own as you discover your own truths in His word.

But whatever you do…WALK!

Let’s walk together every week for one year. 

You can read a new post every Saturday  for 52 weeks.

Please invite your friends to walk with us!

Join me at melodywestbrook.com