Mike Focht 3/8/2024
We are all familiar with the description of our relationship with God as that of a walk. Most of us have used the language ourselves. We have asked God for a closer walk with Him. We have asked others to pray for our walk. We have confessed that our walk is not what it should be. We have felt the burning desire to walk nearer to Jesus.
The language remains because it is good. The Holy Spirit has encouraged the picture by Scriptural inspiration. We are encouraged by the walk of those like Enoch. The prophets and proverbs challenge us to press on in the path and way before us. Paul urges and instructs us to walk nearer to God in numerous ways. Finally, John reminds us that we can walk in the light and have fellowship with Jesus Christ because His blood cleanses us from all sin.
When we see two individuals walking side by side along a path—talking or quietly enjoying one another’s presence—we know there is a certain intimacy there. You wouldn’t take that type of walk with just anyone. A close walk between two individuals shows friendship, intimacy, and love. The two individuals share their time, hearts, and lives.
To pray then for a closer, deeper, or better walk with Christ means that we desire a closer, deeper, and better friendship, love, and communion with Him. That is why the term is such a good description of spiritual growth. In the end, all spiritual growth is simply relational growth. All spiritual growth is relational growth between you and Jesus. And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.
The outward habits accompanying our closer walk result from the relational change. To be friends with someone is to share mutual interests, joys, relationships, and loves. So, too, a closer walk with Christ will mean a deeper sharing of God’s interests, joys, relationships, and loves. Our walk becomes deeper as our fellowship around His purposes and pleasures deepens. Our everyday walk gets better as our daily communion with Him gets better. A closer walk with God looks like you and God, side by side, stepping through the daily unpoetic scenes of your life.
In contrast, distance from God has nothing to do with physical distance. We live and move and have our being in God. He is not geographically far from any of us. We are distant from God when we do not fellowship with Him. We were once totally separate from God because of our sin, but now, in Christ, we who were once far off have been brought near. But even as saved individuals, we are all in different places regarding our walk with Christ. How distant are you from mutual fellowship around God’s interests, God’s character, God’s reputation, God’s will, God’s loves, and hates, as well as God’s daily plans and purposes? That is how we measure our distance or nearness to God. Can two walk together, unless they are agreed?
So may we all learn to walk closer to God in all the fullness that the beautiful and Biblical idea conveys.