Articles
Walking Before the Lord
Walking Before the Lord
I will walk before the Lord in the land of the living-- (Psalms 116:9)
The commitment to walk before the Lord while we live and breathe in this earthly life is one of the greatest commitments we will ever make. Walking before the Lord requires that we let him have full Possession of our lives (2 Cor. 8:5; Rom. 12:1-2); it means that we are yielding every member of our body to him (Rom. 6:12-13). Walking before the Lord his word dwells in us richly filling our hearts, molding our thoughts, guiding our lives (Col. 3:16; 1 Cor. 6:19-20). Walking before the Lord our focus is on spiritual things (Col. 3:1-2; Matt. 6:19-21; Matt. 6:33; 2 Pet. 1:5-10). In the simplest terms, as we walk before the Lord, we humble ourselves under his mighty hand (1 Pet.5:6). The determination and courage to always walk before the Lord is the backbone of being an example of a child of God (1 Tim. 4:12; Matt. 5:13-16).
Living in a society where greed, covetousness, lying, cheating and deceiving are having a field day will make it difficult for us to remain faithful to our commitment (Luke 12:15; 1 John 2:15-17; Eph. 5:16; 2 John 8-9; 3 John 11). The evil and immorality that surrounds us is unbelievable, yet it is real. Multitudes have lost their sense of decency, lost sight of that which is acceptable or unacceptable conduct. Right or wrong is no longer a consideration. The only thing that seems to matter is what will please the multitude and the multitude is going to wonder why we do not engage in the same things they do and will often say and do things to us in an effort to entice us to stumble (1 Pet.4:4). Walking before the Lord will not be easy for us but it must be done if we expect to one day fly away to God's celestial shore to live in glory forever (Phil. 3:7-14; 2 Tim. 4:6-8). We must hold fast to our faith and never, never deny that faith even when we are told that we must do so in order to appease the multitude.
Be thankful that we do not have to depend only on our frail, weak selves to be successful in this endeavor. We have help from the divine (Psalm 46:1-3, 7; Psalms 121:1-8; Isaiah 40:28-31; Heb. 12:1-2; Heb. 4:14-16). God is our refuge, our strength, our help because he loves us and has promised to never leave us or forsake us (Heb; 13:5; Rom. 8: 35-39). As long as we walk before the Lord, there is no force on this earth that can separate us from his love, protection and guidance. To God be glory forever and ever!
Charles Hicks, Gallatin Tennessee
