WALKING AND PRAYING MY WAY TO ISRAEL (3)

It was the week-end and I thought about skipping my walk today, but it just did not seem right. So I took my walk this afternoon. I am grateful for our mall because it was raining outside.

I enjoyed the time because I made it a prayer walk. I noticed as I had before several others walking, but By The Way, I realized something else. None of the walkers were walking in the same way. Some walked with a faster pace, some with a slower pace. I noticed also that people of different ages were walking. Both men and women were walking. Some who walked were heaver, some were thinner. We were all walking in the same direction, but all in different ways. One elderly lady was simply shuffling along, her stride very short. One gentleman in particular was walking with a walker.

I suddenly realized the spiritual application. All God's children are walking toward that eternal Jerusalem, but we are all different. It does not matter exactly how we walk, but that we walk.
Growing up I was always a slow runner. I was sometimes embarrassed that I often came in last during a running game. When several of us boys at school were on the play ground and someone sayed, "I'll race you to the fence," most often I was the last to make it. I later realized that I was just not built for fast running. Although I am not club-footed my feet tend to turn outward more than perhaps the average person. It make running for me a little awkward. But I can walk just fine, thank you.

God does not look at the outside He looks at the heart. We walk with our feet, but even in a greater sense when walking with the Lord, we walk with our heart. Can you imagine back to the time you were dating, and you and your sweetheart were out for a walk? Did you critique the way she walked or did you simple enjoy the time with her?

I especially enjoyed seeing this one man who had to use a walker. He could not move very fast, had a harder time navigating the slopes, but his walk was just as real, and genuine, and I am sure just as rewarding as everyone else.

Yes we are all different, and yet the Lord loves us all the same. Paul says in Roman 14:10 So why do you judge your brothers or sisters in Christ? And why do you think you are better than they are? We will all stand before God to be judged, 11 because it is written in the Scriptures:

" 'As surely as I live,' says the Lord,
'Everyone will bow before me;
everyone will say that I am God.' " — Isaiah 45:23

12 So each of us will have to answer to God.

13 For that reason we should stop judging each other. We must make up our minds not to do anything that will make another Christian sin.(New Century Version)

Judging a brother or sister because of how they walk or how they look while they walk is simple wrong.

Years ago an ad came out advertising Boys Town in Nebraska. It showed a larger boy caring a smaller boy, with the caption, "He's not heavy, he's my brother." There may be times when we have to help someone up who has fallen on the trail. We may even have to carry some folks, but the wonderful thing is that we are walking with God and toward the city of Gold. We all have the same father if we have trusted the Lord Jesus Christ, and that makes us brothers and sisters.

We're marching to Zion, beautiful, beautiful Zion
We're marching upward to Zion, the beautiful city of God

It is important that we are walking with God, but it is also vitally important that we pray for and help others along the way who are also making that journey. Who are you praying for and helping along?

THOT: IN HEAVEN I KNOW WE WILL SING, BUT MAYBE WE WILL BE PART OF A GREAT MARCHING BAND, WHO BEGAN PRACTICING HERE.