Seeking to be an authentic community of disciples, becoming more like Jesus - walking in step with God, alongside each other and seeing lives transformed
Last Friday, in our series of weekly posts exploring our Vision here at CBC, we looked at the idea of walking - that our faith is a journey. Obviously we start where we are, but this is not where we expect to end up. This week I want to think specifically about what it means to be walking in step with God. If you've missed any of the previous posts click on the relevant link above or use the 'Vision' label below to read the whole series.
As we think about this theme of walking in step with God there are two important ideas that I want us to explore. There is the encouragement that comes from knowing that God is with us as we are on this journey. But the 'in step' part also comes with a challenge to obedience - to be in step with God, rather than out of step.
At the end of last year as we went through the process of discerning God's vision for us, one of the themes that came through repeatedly was a desire to do what God wants. To be obedient to his will. We're happy to stop stuff that we're already doing, or start new stuff up that we're not doing, we're not afraid of change - but what's of overriding importance is 'are we doing what God wants?'
The first occurrence of the word 'walk/ed/ing' in the Bible is found in Genesis 3:8 where we see that one of the consequences of human sin is a break in the relationship between God and people, and that we are no longer free to walk with God. The image created, and then broken, in the first chapters of Genesis is one in which our relationship with God is compared to talking with a friend as you walk through a garden or along a beach in the cool of the evening. But human sin broke that relationship.
If you've been following the Read Scripture plan and watching the videos then you will know that one of the themes of Leviticus and Numbers is ensuring that the camp of Israel is ritually pure so that God can once again dwell with his people. This is a theme that is picked up in the New Testament. The people of God are made pure through Jesus' death. But there is the command for God's people to keep themselves pure so that God is able to live with them and walk among them (e.g. 2 Corinthians 6:16-17).
The desire to walk in step with God is a challenge to daily obedience. To die to self and be obedient to what God's Spirit is saying to us. Yes, it is true, that we often don't get it right, and therefore we daily rely on God's forgiveness - but God's forgiveness is not an excuse to live as you want rather than as God wants. If you want to follow this theme further then I recommend a Bible word search - looking at the word 'walk' in the New Testament. Here are a few to get you going:
- Galatians 5:16 - read on to the end of the chapter.
- Ephesians 5:2 - again continue reading.
- 1 John 1:6-7
- 2 John 6
As well as the call to obedience the idea of walking with God provides us with the encouragement that whatever we are going through - God is with us. Perhaps one of the best known passages of the Old Testament echoes this theme: 'Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me' (Psalm 23:4).
This is certainly my personal experience. The times I have felt closest to God have been the toughest and hardest times in my life.
This gives us confidence, as a church, as we face the future. Because whilst we may not know where God is leading, and we don't know what difficulties and challenges lie ahead - we do know that God has promised that he will be with us, and therefore we do not need to be afraid.
