Today I miss taking walks
with my children.
There is a coffee mug on my
desk that was given to me by one of my daughters. On the mug there is a picture
of her and myself taking a walk together, and looking at it has caused me to
long for days of old.
When my children were young,
each day I would take a walk with a different one. Because I have six children,
we had a chart to schedule each of them in rotation. It was a good opportunity
to talk and listen and ponder.
Each child used their time
with me alone differently than the other children. Each was unique and special
and I enjoyed them and looked forward to them.
Some would be quiet as we
held hands and spent time in each other’s company. Some would hit the sidewalk
and not stop talking until we reached home (not sure who they got that from);
using the time to tell me all their thoughts and something from the latest book
they were reading.
Others would use the time to
ask questions or plead their case for a new toy, to participate in an activity,
or to go somewhere.
As I write this blog, pondering
conversations that took place on our walks, I feel somewhat melancholy
wondering if they, too, miss taking them with their dad.
I am grateful that as a
grandpa I have opportunities to take walks with each of my grandchildren, but
had I known that one day my walks with my children would come to an end, I
probably would have savored them or taken a long route to squeeze in more time
with each of my children.
And just as I have had other
opportunities to take walks with my children at the cabin or on vacation or to
a park with their children, it is still not the same as my daily scheduled
walks with each of them individually.
And I think of what God…Abba
Father…must have felt when His daily walks with His children, Adam and Eve, came
to an end. In Genesis 2:19, we can read how God would take walks and bring
things He had made to Adam:
“Out of the ground the Lord God formed every beast of the field and every bird of the air, and
brought them to Adam to see
what he would call them. And whatever Adam called each living creature, that was its name.
In Genesis chapter three, we
can read about the day when His daily walks with Adam and Eve came to an end.
It is my submission that in the story God was (perhaps) bringing something to
them to see what they would call it.
And, because they did what He
had said not to do, they took their final walk in the garden. Actually they
were led OUT of the garden; no longer being able to walk with Him in the Garden
of Eden.
That’s the bad news.
The good news is that just
like I am able to call my children and set aside time to take a walk with
anyone of them individually, because of what Jesus accomplished on the cross,
we too are able to daily walk with God…Abba Father. We too are able to daily
come to Him and spend time with Him and once again connect with Him.
Because of what Jesus
accomplished by His death, burial, and resurrection, we too can have fellowship
with Him on a daily basis.
And just like I have days
like this when I think fondly of those previous times that I had spent with my
own children and long for more; God…Abba Father longs for us to once again take
a walk with Him.
Not sure where to start?
Well, it’s not a formula; you simply need to ask or call out to Him.
In fact He is simply waiting
for you to ask Him to go on walk and He has some things that He would love to
show you to see what you think about them. He says in the
Bible:
“Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know.” (Jeremiah 33:3)
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