Firmly planted

The other morning Dave and I were out on our walk and another couple we see quite frequently were also walking. We stopped long enough to say our “good mornings” and she asked if we keep track of how far we have walked. I told her I knew each days’ walking but I wasn’t sure about so far this year.

This morning I decided to find out. I went to the fit bit app and checked it out. I was surprised by what I found; so far this year we have walked 236 miles. Now, if you’re a runner or a workout enthusiast this is far from extraordinary but to this 67 year old great grandmother it is a goodly distance.

But how did it happen? I never could have accomplished this in a week or even a month but over time it adds up. One step at a time; step by step.

And that’s how it is with our Christian walk. It’s step by step. We don’t start out spending hours each day reading the Bible or praying. We don’t conquer fear in one single situation or learn to control our temper with one confrontation. No, it’s step by step.

“Let the wonderful kindness and the understanding that come from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ help you to keep on growing. Praise Jesus now and forever! Amen.” II Peter 3:18 CEV

We grow in our understanding of God’s grace and love on a daily basis. When we take time to think about just those two amazing characteristics of our heavenly Father it’s mind boggling. Questions arise: How could He love and forgive me the way He does? Does He never get tired of me and the amount of times I fail? Will I ever exhaust His grace?

Our heavenly Father is the Father of all fathers. Does an earthly parent get tired of helping their child learn to walk? Do they ever just throw up their hands and say “forget it, they’ll never learn”? No! They are there to help, to steady, to encourage until walking is mastered and then it’s on to the next skill that needs to be learned.

“And now, just as you accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord, you must continue to follow him. ⁷Let your roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness.” Colossians 2:6-7 NLT

Follow Him! Step by Step – walk with Jesus through the pages of the Bible. Watch Jesus relate to a dishonest tax collector, a prostitute, a man eaten up with leprosy and the easily distracted disciples. It’s here we gain understanding of the love that Jesus freely gives to all of us and it’s here we grow in grace, receiving blessings from the Lord that we don’t deserve and can’t earn.

“Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. ¹⁸And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. ¹⁹May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.” Ephesians 3:17-19 NLT

Yes, our Christian walk is a growing process. We grow in our understanding of God’s love, His grace and so our faith grows too. Day by day and step by step.

Enjoy the journey!

Needing wisdom today? Have a problem that’s bigger than your scope of understanding? Maybe you’ve tried everything you know to do and things still don’t seem to be getting better. Is it time to raise the white flag or throw up your hands, or throw in the towel?

Don’t quit. It’s just time to re-focus!

“He rescued his people and made his agreement with them forever. His name is awesome and holy. 10 Wisdom begins with fear and respect for the Lord. Those who obey him are very wise. Praises will be sung to him forever.” Psalm 111:9-10 ERV

“I will sacrifice a voluntary offering to you; I will praise your name, O Lord,
for it is good. ⁷For you have rescued me from my troubles and helped me to triumph over my enemies.” Psalm 54:6-7 NLV

Obeying God’s word is a true source of wisdom. Trusting the One who created all, the One who knows the beginning from the end and not having to depend on our finite thinking is true wisdom! There is wisdom in giving God the reins.

“Trust the Lord completely, and don’t depend on your own knowledge. 6 With every step you take, think about what he wants, and he will help you go the right way. 7 Don’t trust in your own wisdom, but fear and respect the Lord and stay away from evil. ” Proverbs 3:5-7 ERV

There wasn’t any earthly wisdom in walking around a city seven days and then blowing trumpets and shouting. But it brought down the walls of Jericho. There wasn’t any earthly wisdom in facing a giant with a sling shot and a stone but it brought victory to Israel by the hand of a shepherd boy, David. There wasn’t any earthly wisdom in thinking that a baby born to a virgin girl could bring salvation to all the world but it did! Jesus came to bring us life and life more abundantly and He did!

“God blesses those people who refuse evil advice and won’t follow sinners or join in sneering at God. ²Instead, the Law of the Lord makes them happy, and they think about it day and night. ³They are like trees growing beside a stream,
trees that produce fruit in season and always have leaves. Those people succeed in everything they do.” Psalm 1:1-3 CEV

“Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. ²⁵Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against that house, it won’t collapse because it is built on bedrock.” Matthew 7:25-26 NLT

Stop trying to figure it all out on your own -> refocus -> lean on the Lord and not your own understanding. He will keep you standing tall when you’re built on the rock of His word.

Tag: Firmly planted

Step by Step