I have always enjoyed going for a walk, especially on the farm. If you can do it in the cool
of the evening, particularly when the shadows are lengthening, the humidity is low, and the air is
maybe a bit chilly, it is especially refreshing. But there’s something which makes it even better.
That’s when you can walk with a loved one. Many times I have walked with Marvina at various
places on the farm. I sometimes find myself picking up sticks or branches as we go, neatening up.
But it is better to resist the urge to do that, and just enjoy the company and the walk.
There is a very secluded place on our farm, which we
call Rocky Ridge. It runs atop a high, rocky ridge or raised
outcrop, surrounded by trees on both sides. It is very private, yet
the occasional views from within the walkway as you look through
the trees, are beautiful. As you stroll along that ridge, all the world
seems to pause, and give you the chance to take in the beauty of
God’s creation.
I had recently mowed the path, and it was lined with
white multiflora roses on both sides. Something about the pathway
under all of those conditions made it particularly delightful. It
made me think about how our life is like a walk, and the figure of
walking is often used for living in the Bible. I think of the old J.B.
Baxter hymn from 1938: On, and on we walk together, Christ is
by my side. And I fear no stormy weather, for he is a faithful guide.
There are many other hymns from my memory, which build upon the figure of walking with God.
This particular day, I had brought Dad over to the farm, and we were able to spend a couple
hours together. As I drove by the entrance to the trail at Rocky Ridge, I stopped the truck and asked
dad if he was up to a short walk. His steps are now unsteady, and very slow. Walking has become
a challenging effort for him. I was glad that we were able to walk it together again.
When I was young, walking was effortless. I didn’t even think about it. I could walk and
run all day as a child, and not be particularly tired. But I can see in the lives of love ones all around
me how walking becomes a precious privilege as we grow older, and we can no longer take it for
granted. As I write this, I am reminded of a dear friend from my college days, the same age as me,
who is at this time having difficulty even walking to the restroom in his house without a walker.
My mom is now 91 years old. Walking has become difficult for her as well. I cherish the times she
is able to gently take my arm and walk a few steps with me.
It’s so tempting in life to run on ahead of God. To not be content to remain at his side,
simply walking together as he directs. So many want to try new things, go in different directions,
be their own guide. But the Bible pronounces a blessing not upon those who walk everywhere or
in any way they please, but upon those who walk with God. Those “who walk, not after the flesh,
but after the Spirit,” (Rom. 8:4). And, “if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have
fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanseth us from all sin,” (1 Jn. 1:7).
How much more enriching and enjoyable is life when we walk it together with the Lord!
He will never grow weary, never leave or forsake us. Like a faithful companion through the
difficult times of life, our Savior is at our side, walking on and on together. Sticking with him is
so much better than trying to manage life alone!
So, in the cool of the evening, or maybe in the early morning, I come back to the Rocky
Ridge trail. Walking through that secluded pathway brings back many good memories of an
easier time when I have worked and walked together with loved ones through the years. And it
reminds me that Someone is still there, still by my side, walking together with me through life—
making the journey a rich and pleasant walk with God.
– by Robert C. Veil, Jr.
