I am reminded that walking the one of the best exercises that doctors recommend. Walking builds our muscles and sends more oxygen to all of our body.  It helps to maintain our weight and keeps the plaque from building in our arteries.

Walking with the Lord also builds good things in our lives.  It builds faith and strength.

Our spiritual walk builds the muscles for endurance, especially endurance under pressure.

Sometimes we walk in the darkest of places.  Other times we rest and enjoy our days.

Jeremiah 10:23-24  “O Lord, I know the way of man is not in himself; It is not in man who walks to direct his own steps. (24) O Lord, correct me, but with justice; not in your anger lest you bring me to nothing.”

Psalm 37:23 “The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, and He delights in His ways.

Learning to walk in His path takes much courage. Some paths are rugged and steep, some are smooth and straight.  But it is always an adventure.  Proverbs 20:7 says, “The righteous man walks in his integrity. His children are blessed after him.”  What a promise!  We want our children to be blessed; this is how.  We walk in integrity!  It is so important to hold to that promise especially if we have a prodigal.  “I would have lost heart, unless I had seen the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.” Psalms 27:13.

On one of my walks with Jesus, I encountered His presence in a moving powerful way.

I only share this that it might be for others to know just how personal Jesus can be in our lives when we walk daily with him.

From my journal August 2, 1992:

“It was early morning when I went out to walk today.  The storm during the night had left the sand packed making it easier to walk along the shore.  I began walking several feet away from the water’s edge.  The tide is coming in and the waves are beginning to crash closer and closer.  The spray from a wave catches me off guard.  It is refreshing in the sultry, humid morning.

I see what appears to be a small sting-ray fighting to get back to the safety of the ocean home. He is losing the battle.  He is flopping…flopping… flopping so desperate to return to his shelter but his strength is waning. I can see he is tired from the struggle.  I get tired from the struggle sometimes, does anyone else?

I know that I need to help him.  But I’m not sure how.  How safe is it?  What should I do Lord?

This is your creation.  I hear the voice inside my head. “Go behind him, gently push the sand under him so that the wave will carry him back into the water.”  I gently move the sand under the creature and a calm gentle wave washes up and surrounds him. He is free!  There is no more struggle.  He moves with graceful beautiful motions. I am deeply touched by how much God even cares for the smallest of creatures. I must remember that when we are in the stream of God’s will, we also will have ease in what He gives us to do.  I hear that voice in my head again. “That’s all I want you to do.  You must come along-side those that are struggling.  You must gently guide them into the stream of my love and care.  I will send just the right wave of my Spirit to rescue them.”

All the striving and struggles, all the fighting to regain our places is so exhausting.  We only need to cease the struggling and striving.  Rest. Rest.  We need faith, trust, and to believe that our God can rescue.

There is such joy in fellowship with Jesus.

I take off my shoes now that the tide has moved up on the shore.  I continue my walk with the Lord Jesus. I share my thoughts, prayers, and my shortcomings (sins).  I am walking the same as when I had my shoes on but now I am not concerned about getting my shoes soaked by the water.  My shoes had been my safety for the hot sand minutes before but now I am free and vulnerable to the ocean’s waves.  Free to be refreshed, free to experience new sensations of the day!  Just then a wave crashes behind me.   It catches me and I jump in surprise.   I could almost hear the Lord laughing at he watched his child surprised by joy!  It was if the two of us were playing, “tag you’re it.”  I stop and laugh out loud at how silly I must have looked to anyone who saw my display of joy.

He gently spoke to me and said, Do you remember reading about how I walked the dusty roads of Israel?  I needed the cool water to wash my feet at the end of my journeys.  I recalled the story of the disciples in the upper room when Jesus took the towel and began to wash Peter’s feet.  Peter said, No Lord I am not worthy for you to wash my feet.  Jesus replied, “If I do not wash your feet you will have no share with me.” (John 13:8)  I understood more that day about Peter’s statement, Lord, not only my feet but all of me (my paraphrase).  Jesus’ command that day was, “you ought to wash one another’s feet.”  We are to wash each other’s feet.  We, as the body, are to bring refreshing to others.

Father, I pray that you will always guide my steps.  That I will always make myself available to you.  Lord help me to be refreshing to others.  May it be said of your servants, as Paul writes to Philemon.

“For we have great joy and consolation in your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed by you, brother (or sister).” (Philemon 7)

Freda