“Let us walk in the light of the LORD.” Isaiah 2:5

From a prison cell, the apostle Paul wrote to encourage fellow believers at the church of Colossae. He hadn’t met these people in real life, but he had heard that they were under attack and being led astray by false teachers who were denigrating the deity of Christ. The point of Paul’s letter to the church of Colossae, – known to us today as the book of Colossians, – was to encourage believers to understand the greatness of God, His headship over the church, His place as our Redeemer, and how the Colossians – and us as modern day Christians – can keep walking with the Lord.

Walking with the Lord requires us to spend time with Him

Walking with the Lord requires us to recognize Who God really is. Reading through even just the first chapter of Colossians, Paul describes God as the following: Our Father (1:3), our Creator (and the Creator of all things) (1:16), our Deliverer (1:13), our Redeemer (1:14), He has forgiven all our sins (1:14), He is before all things, and by Him all things consist (1:17). We can’t walk with God if we don’t have a clear and true understanding of Who He is. To walk with God requires us to spend time with God and in His Word, and as we do so, we’ll gain a deeper appreciation and understanding of Who He is. “The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding to the simple.” (Psalm 119:130)

Walking with the Lord helps us to cultivate consistency

As if recalling God’s attributes to mind wasn’t encouraging enough, Paul goes on to show us that walking with the Lord helps us to cultivate consistency in our lives: Being fruitful, increasing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all might, having patience and longsuffering with joyfulness. These are all things that take time and that require consistency. Just as you don’t expect the trees and flowers to be in full bloom on the first day of spring, you can’t expect to reach some pinnacle of spiritual maturity by attending church once in a while, and occasionally reading your Bible. Walking with the Lord is something we continuously and consistently must do. “See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, waiting patiently for it until it receives the early and latter rain. You also, be patient.” (James 5:7)

Walking with the Lord promotes praise and prayer

Paul mentions several times in the first chapter of Colossians about giving thanks and praying, because he understood that walking with the Lord promotes both praise and prayer. “We give thanks to God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you,” (1:3), “we…do not cease to pray for you,” (1:9), “Giving thanks to the Father,” (1:12). When we keep our eyes on the Lord, when we stop looking in and we start looking up, it is then that we’re better able to keep heading in the right direction.

The path won’t always be smooth

The path won’t always be smooth, and the road won’t always be straight, but be encouraged: We’re walking with the Lord, the One Who makes the way in the wilderness and creates rivers in the desert (Isaiah 43:19).

Originally published as “Walking with the LORD.” Minto Express, Independent Plus, Arthur Enterprise-News, Mount Forest Confederate, Walkerton Herald-Times. February 28, 2019: 6. Print. Web.