Over the years, I have stepped so many steps as I have walked. Maybe you too.  My husband says he knows my walk because he always tells me I walk as if I am pushing a lawnmower.  Maybe so, since I grew up in a family who mowed yards and cemeteries weekly to supplement the family income.  Then, as a young college student, I continued to mow the cemetery to help offset the cost of college.  No wonder I push an imaginary lawnmower as I walk.  Truthfully, I would rather say:  I walk with purpose, or at least I use to walk with purpose.  For the past two years, my gait has changed, my “get-e-up” now has a “hitch” in my step due to some chronic back pain I am experiencing.  Rather than walking quickly, with purpose, I seem to be thankful some days to get from point A to point B.  On the days when my back is less of a struggle, I walk.

• After lunch, I walk the campus.
• After dinner (when I can be home with my husband) we sometimes walk through the park.
• Before class, I bound up the stairs toward my office.

I walk but do not run anymore because the jarring of running (as I once enjoyed) is no longer enjoyable but painful, yet that is another story for another day.

Today, the topic of focus is walking in obedience.

Whether we are led by the Holy Spirit to walk through a painful season of life or a painful situation or a painful relationship—still we are to walk in obedience to our Lord.

Even when we are given the opportunity to walk without pain, we are commanded by our Father—to walk in obedience to our Lord.

Wow!

• Know the commandments of God.
• Keep the commandments of the Father.
• Obey—Reveals to the world surrounding us how we love Jesus.
• Love Jesus & we (in return) are loved by the Father.
• As we do, Jesus will love us even more as He reveals Himself to us more & more.

Wow!  Wow!  Wow!

Now, I am not sure if you are like me, but I like to be the boss, the one in charge, the driver, the leader, the one in front, the chief, the king of the hill, the first in line, the one who crosses the finish line—First.

Maybe you are like me, and Maybe you are the opposite.

Some like to not be the boss, do not wish to be in charge, do not desire to lead or to be the one in front.  Some care not to be chief of anything, including the king of any hill.  Some will stand at the back of the line and will allow others to cross the finish line—first—so they can cross—Second.

Nonetheless, whether first or second place within this life, we are all commanded by God Himself, our Creator, to WALK close beside HIM, to get into STEP with HIM, & to STAY within HIS Will.

Our prayer each day should be:

“Lord, teach me today to walk with You.  Help me to walk closer, more obediently today than I did yesterday.  Lead me to stay within Your will as I am granted space to walk within this day, and if today is the day You bring me home, let me be so focused on walking within Your will that the world sees that action—WALKING WITH YOU—as my last earthly action I do, as the last earthly words I speak, & as the last earthly testimony I give for Your goodness.  In Jesus’ name I pray.  Amen.”

• What is the best way to know the heart of someone?
• What is the best way to see if someone loves God?
• What is the best way to prove if a person is a child of God?

See if the person walks in obedience—to God!

See if the person stays in God’s will—obeying Him!

Watch a person walk through his day & notice who commands his steps.

• Obedience to God is visibly walking with him each day!
• Obedience to God is visibly stepping in cadence with God day-by-day!
• Obedience to God is visibly doing His will moment-by-moment!
• Obedience to God is visibly praying as we walk close beside our Savior!

We are to “live out” God’s commands, despite the cost!

Then, as Jesus promised, we reap the benefits!

“The one who has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me;

and the one who loves Me will be loved by My Father,

and I will love him and will reveal Myself to him.” (John 14: 21 NASB)

Jesus meets our needs.

God showers us with His mercy, His grace, and His compassion.

God’s faithfulness remains visible as we keep our eyes upon Him.

We learn to trust God more & more as we daily walk with Him in step to His will for our day.

As we go throughout the moments of our days, God transforms us, shapes us, molds us into the image of His Son, our Savior, Jesus Christ.

What a lovely image to seek.

• May we Walk.
• May we Love the Lord.
• May we Obey Him.
• May we Not Step ahead or Run ahead but May we Stay Exactly in Step, Walking in God’s Cadence Close beside Him.

The psalmist David understood the importance of remaining within the will of God.