Long Talk….

“Even though I Walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me.”   Psalm 23:4

Psalm 23 has always been one of my favorite scriptures.  I often refer to it as the Psalm of Life.  Little did I know that this beloved psalm would provide comfort, solace, and healing daily during my sabbatical.   For nearly two months, I have read, prayed, and meditated on Psalm 23 every day.  Amazingly, every day I read this passage; God revealed something new to me.  

In some of my reading the past few days, I came across a quote by Augustine of Hippo, an early theologian of the Christian church, “It is solved by walking.”  In our culture of overwork, burnout, and exhaustion, in which we’re connected and distracted 24/7 from most things that are truly important in our lives, how do we tap into our creativity, our wisdom, our capacity for wonder, our well-being, and even our Creator?  Walk.   For Thomas Jefferson, the purpose of walking was to clear the mind of thoughts. Jefferson said, “The object of walking is to relax the mind 

As a spiritual practice, walking has been around from the beginning.  I love the image of Adam and Eve walking in the Garden with God.  What a beautiful sight!  The Israelites walked on their pilgrimage to the Promised Land.  Then there are the Disciples as they left their families, jobs, and friends to walk with Jesus.  Since we are a society that loves counting steps, I wonder how many steps Jesus walked?  I love this image of Jesus walking by the countryside, the Sea of Galilee, walking in the Temple, and even walking on water.  Jesus was unhurried as he greeted people, and noticed the unnoticeable, and those on the fringes of society.  I wonder if we have just rediscovered one of Jesus’ spiritual disciplines he gave us, walking.  Sometimes we forget that as Jesus walked and walked and walked, God was with him.  

Walking is part of my daily routine.  I try to walk three miles each morning.  I look forward to these daily walks for many reasons.    It gives me a chance to reflect, ponder, and connect with God in a variety of ways.  I’m able to notice the beauty of trees, the birds, barking dogs, and the occasional untied shoestring.  Some of my best sermon ideas or examples, often come during a walk.  Just taking a break from the routines of life, I am better able to recognize God.  

I have learned in the last two months that at times there is just too much for me to consider, too much for me to process, and certainly too much brokenness in the world.   I need to walk, to remind myself that God is still present, even when I walk through the darkest valley.  I think of the lyrics of Zach Williams’ song, “In the waiting, in the searching, in the healing, and the hurting…. Where I’ve been and where I’m going, even when I didn’t know it or see it, there was Jesus.”

Lace up those shoes, get out and let’s enjoy a great spiritual discipline, walking.  

Blessings, 

Tom