Over the past few weeks if you’ve been reading, we have been on a journey together. We’ve struggled through brokenness to surrender. We’ve wrestled with trust and faith. Today, we will seek to stand upon our faith and move to obedience. It’s the next step we’ll take together as we strive to be women found on our knees at the feet of our Savior. I hope you are enjoying this journey. We have tackled some difficult issues and been forced to face some painful things, but I pray that as you move from brokenness to surrender, from trust to faith, that God is revealing Himself to you along the way, engulfing you in His presence, and pouring out His matchless love upon you. Being a Christ follower is a high calling, one that requires we represent Him well. Obedience is key. Join me as we dive into the riches of God’s Word and together seek to walk in His ways.
Walking in obedience may be a phrase that you’ve heard often in the church. Or perhaps you aren’t so acquainted with these words. Either way, I think it’s a phrase that needs some light to be shed on it. What does it really mean to walk in obedience? What does it look like lived out? I was just as curious as you probably are, so I began to search through God’s Word to find some clarity, the greatest source of truth. I did a simple word search for the word “walk”. Now, I don’t know about you, but I love to study God’s Word! Give me several hours, a big table strewn with books, commentaries, the Bible, something to write with, and a large cup of coffee and you will find a very happy Cherie. I just love the treasures I find as I dig into His Word. I come thirsty, and the water I receive satisfies. It’s an amazing thing. There were numerous verses that came up by just searching for the word “walk”, but what I found to be most interesting was that the word “walk” was often found within the phrase “walk in His ways”. What’s even more fascinating is that several of these verses were found in the book of Deuteronomy alone. Let me just list a few of them for you. Grab your Bible, and let’s do a little Bible study, shall we?
Deuteronomy 5:33 – “Walk in all the way that the LORD your God has commanded you, so that you may live and prosper and prolong your days in the land that you will possess.”
Deuteronomy 10:12 – “And now, O Israel, what does the LORD your God ask of you but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all His ways, to love Him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul.”
Deuteronomy 26:17 – “You have declared this day that the LORD is your God and that you will walk in His ways, that you will keep His decrees, commands and laws, and that you will obey Him.”
Deuteronomy 28:9 – “The LORD will establish you as His holy people, as He promised you on oath, if you keep the commands of the LORD your God and walk in His ways.”
Deuteronomy 30:16 – “For I command you today to love the LORD your God, to walk in His ways, and to keep His commands, decrees and laws; then you will live and increase, and the LORD your God will bless you in the land you are entering to possess.”
Over and over again we see the phrase “walk in His ways”. It is important to notice that each time, the phrase is imperative. This is a command, not a suggestion. To be quite honest, I don’t think that God offers us many suggestions in His Word. He says, and we do; end of discussion. He requires our obedience. Anything less is sin. It is His desire that we walk as He walked, do as He did, speak as He spoke, and love as He loved. He calls us to obedience.
So, we can see that this is a very serious issue, one that we must get a grasp on. Walk in his ways. So, what are His ways? The good news is that God didn’t leave us empty-handed. Throughout the Bible we can see God’s ways demonstrated, especially through the life of Christ in the four gospels. In complete perfection, Jesus Christ displayed justice, love, mercy, and humility as He walked the face of this earth. He is our model. We are to imitate Him. We are to walk in His ways. Obedience to God’s Word is key for every Christ follower. We must read His Word, abide by it, meditate on it, stand upon it, and live it. That is what it means to walk in His ways.
There was a particular season in my own life when the LORD called me to obedience, and I found it difficult to walk in His ways. Perhaps you can relate. It was easy for me to talk the talk, but when it came down to walking the walk, well that was a different story. I knew I was supposed to trust the LORD, knowing that wherever He would lead me He would also go with me and that I would not ever be left alone without His presence. Still, it was hard to take that first step of obedience, not being able to see what was ahead. As I chose to walk in obedience and go where He was calling me to go, yes, there was pain as I had to let go of all that I had been holding on to, but even more so I was reminded of His blessing that always follows obedience. When we choose to walk in His ways and be obedient to His Word, blessing naturally follows. That is just His way. He is a good God, and out of His love He chooses to bless obedience.
What does this look like for you right now in your life? What particular obedience might the LORD be calling you to? Might I encourage you again, dear sister, to walk in His ways. The LORD will bless your obedience.
“He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” Micah 6:8
I have enjoyed this little Bible Study in Walking the Walk and being obedient to God. I was asking the Lord what He wants me to do in my Obedience to God??