Learning how to walk

I love to move around on foot. Therefore, I cherish walking instead of driving a car. When I add some running, the benefit is that I keep fit. The principles are the same in God’s Kingdom.

The three first chapters in Paul’s letter to Ephesians are very much focused on my status or position in Christ. Paul wanted to make sure that his readers know their position. When I know where I “sit”, I am ready to raise and start walking:

I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called…
Eph 4:1

The word Paul uses in Greek literally means ‘walking’. However, it is also possible to use ‘living’, which many translations of the Bible prefer in the verse above.

There are a lot of similarities between ‘living’ and ‘walking’. I live because I am alive. I don’t have to tell my heart to beat or my lungs to draw the breath – it is all part of being alive. Likewise, when I have learned to walk, I do not need to think about how I stand up and start to move my legs to get the correct movement to reach my destination. I only need to know where I am going, simply because the ‘art of walking’ is an integrated part of my life.

When Paul beseech me to walk and live worthy of the calling with which I was called, he continues to outline what he sees this to be. When you read it (1), you will discover that he makes a list of the attributes of Jesus. It is all about walking like Jesus in the world today. That is the normal Christian life (2). It is impossible without him, yet he will not do it without us. When we start walking in this way, it becomes an integral part of us – we do it without thinking about it, or even knowing about it (3). We will look at several of these attributes of walking in the weeks to come.

‘Manna’ for today:

Learning how to walk – like Christ

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(1) Eph 4:1-16

(2) “The Normal Christian Life” is another book of Watchman Nee – the author of “Sit, Walk, Stand”. Nee’s books have meant a lot for me on my personal spiritual journey. 

(3) “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? …” Matthew 25:37-40

The most important Christmas song

NORSK
I guess that there will be a lot of discussions if we were to agree on which Christmas song is the most important. A week ago, I shared some Christmas thoughts in a Carol festival at our local church. At the last concert I jokingly said that I had always missed the most important Christmas song in the repertoire of the excellent local singers. 

Then I sang some bars from a Norwegian Christmas-tree dance with a very shallow content, apart from one question that is repeated again and again “Where then do you belong?”

When John the Baptist pointed to Jesus and said: “Look, the Lamb of God!", two of his disciples followed Jesus. When discovered that, he asked: “What do you want?” They answered:

"Where do you live?"
John 1:38

For a long time, I thought that this was a meaningless question to ask. However, that was before I understood how John had composed his gospel. The question "Where do you live?" is far deeper than a reference to a physical residence. It is about where you have your roots. It is about where your values are. The Christmas mystery is about to coming home to where I belong. Because Jesus came to said and says: "Come and see!" 

'Manna' for today:

I know where I belong!