Isa 40:31 But those who wait on the Lord Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint.
I wonder what Abram thought when God commanded him…
Gen 17:1 When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to Abram and said to him, “I am Almighty God; walk before Me and be blameless.
Or what John understood…
1 John 2:6 He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked.
Sometimes I have had the wrong focus on the word that has become the center of our ministry… “WALK.” I all too frequently visualize walking with Jesus in order to get where He is leading me, where He is going. But in considering the true meaning of the words in Isa 40:31, which in our early years was the key verse for Walk With God Ministries, I’ve gotten a much better understanding of just what “walking” means.
Let’s take a brief look at the key Hebrew words in this verse:
Wait – Waiting expresses more than just “time.” It refers to twisting, stretching and being under tension.
Renew – Renewing doesn’t just mean making something “new again.” It means passing through something.
Mount Up – Mounting up is not just “getting up” on something. It means rising up.
Run – Running is not just “moving quickly.” It carries the meaning of overcoming something.
Walk – Walking is not just “moving slowly.” It means to bear, carry, takeaway or follow.
I have learned that, in reality, there is nothing abstract about what the Bible says. It means what is says and no matter how hard we might try to spiritualize it to fit the moment, it says what is says; like it or not. And what I’ve learned about this verse is that it’s not about physically walking, it’s about the reality of God’s continual presence, which is not dependent upon any place. It is only dependent upon my determination to always “set” Him before me.
Now, let’s add one more element from God’s command to Abram… walk before Me and be blameless. The word “blameless” means to “be complete,” “perfect,” and to have “integrity.” So, if you will, allow me to share what the Lord showed me about what walking with Him means, what is its ultimate purpose.
During those difficult times when it seems that your life is under tension, being twisted first one way and then another, it important to remember that you are passing through something that is renewing you. In the process you need to rise up to the challenge and overcome it, and that is only going to happen if you bear the burden in order to takeaway the victory.
The term “walk” as used throughout the Bible is often used to express “character.” Walking with Jesus every day is the journey that gives us the opportunity to allow the Holy Spirit to bring out the character of Jesus that we hold within. Jesus doesn’t say “be spiritual,” He says walk before Me. Don’t focus on “mounting up with wings,” focus on walking just as He walked.
It’s all about character and our journey down here is the opportunity we have to learn about, study, and follow after Jesus’ character and “takeaway” the lessons He shares with us along the way. That is the path and the way to becoming complete in Him… becoming “Blameless.”
Come as little child and Walk as a little child.