It's time to take a walk

Grand Sweep Daily Reading: Zephaniah 1, 2, 3

Zephaniah 3:17 (NIV)

17 The Lord your God is with you, He is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing.”

Good morning!

During Jesus Break (our children’s Sunday school time), I took a walk yesterday with the 4-7 year old class. We’ve been talking about God’s awesome creation in class, and now, it was time to really get a visual for what He created. Faith Church Five wee ones and two adult types held hands together and explored the beauty of God’s incredible world. We heard the Lord singing to us through the chirping of the birds sitting in the trees above us. We saw tadpoles jumping from lily pad to lily pad. We watched one young man catch a small fish with his rod and reel from the bridge extending across the small fish pond. I noticed two young people enjoying some time together under the gazebo. They smiled at me, and I smiled back at them. The children were full of wonder as they walked across the asphalt and touched the wet grass with their hands. We saw lots of flowers coming to the end of their full bloom, as the cooler fall weather creeps in. My granddaughter Emily said she saw a snake. I’m glad I didn’t see it, although I’m sure there was a snake in the garden with Eve a long time ago. backs a beautifully maintained and well-used park, with a garden area, small fish pond and gazebo just a few hundred feet from our back door.

Sometimes we forget just how beautiful the earth is, and when that happens, we need to stop and take a walk. It was an amazing weekend. The weather was picture perfect on Saturday for our new Superintendent’s celebration service. The Gateway Regional District of the United Methodist Church in Missouri is pleased to have Pastor Ann Rathert shepherding our churches. Her genuine, caring heart reflects the beauty of God’s grace and love for all people. I came away from this service of celebration understanding just a little bit more about the wonder of God’s call and how He displays His love for us through the people He places in our path. When we forget to see the wonder of God, it’s time to take a walk with each other.

I sat on a picnic bench Sunday afternoon with my family and friends, frolicking with our great niece Kyndahl and granddaughter Madison, both of whom turned one year old in September. They sat in their high chairs, licking the icing from their cupcakes and dropping handfuls of crumbs onto the concrete pavilion floor. Madison was tired of partying and fell fast asleep in Great Grandmother’s arms. She wasn’t a bit interested in her presents. Kyndahl clung to the pretty stuffed animal gifts that came in brightly colored wrapping paper. She screamed at the top of her lungs when the adults tried to free the stuffed animals from their cardboard packaging. It’s not easy to take a toy away from a one year old. I climbed with grandsons Jett and Joshua on the jungle gym and sat on top of the world with them, looking up at a sunlit sky while watching the clouds roll by us. I scooped granddaughter Emily up and held her close when she tried to run away from a neighbor’s dog. I felt her shaking in my arms and remembered that same, uncontrollable fear that I once knew as a child. Taking a walk reminds us not only where we’ve been, but the direction in which we’re headed.

Let the words of the prophet Zephaniah comfort you today. Take a walk through God’s Word and remember that no matter where you go, the Lord your God is with you. He delights in who you are, and quiets you with His everlasting love. When you find yourself feeling discouraged and worried over things you cannot change, take a walk and let God quiet your heart with His love. If you listen closely, you will hear Him singing in your ear. His voice speaks through the laughter of a baby, the sound of the crickets at dusk, and the flapping of the wind blowing across your face. You can feel His love in the dirt we play in, the grass we sit on, and the pools of water where we swim and fish. We can see new life blooming in the faces of our future generations, if we take a closer look through the eyes of our wee ones.

When you wonder where God is, and we all wonder it from time to time, stop what you are doing and take a walk. You will enjoy precious moments in the powerful presence and love of the One who walks with you every minute of every day. Sometimes we forget just how good God is, and when that happens, it’s time to take a walk.

Grace and peace,

Deb Spaulding

Faith UMC - St. Charles, MO

www.songofdeborah.com

Pray for: God to reveal Himself to you today, no matter where you are at, or what you may be facing. He has created a beautiful path for you to follow. Get outside and feel the loving touch of the Lord upon your life. Won’t you take a walk with me today?

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© Copyright 2007, Deb Spaulding

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