So Let Us Walk

Isaiah 40:31 But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

Born in 1839 (when the average lifespan was 40 years), Edward Payson Weston in his prime would walk 50 to 100 miles a day. In 1861, he walked 453 miles to Abraham Lincoln’s inauguration (Boston to Washington DC) in 10 days and 10 hours. Forty nine years later, he walked across America in 88 days, averaging 41 miles per day…at age 71. In his mid-eighties, Weston was still walking 25 miles per day. He died in 1929 at age 90 after being struck by a New York City taxi.

Walking can get serious. For example, do you practice pronation or supination? How efficiently do you swing your arms? Do you walk 20-30 minutes after ingesting caffeine into your system? Do you know the most effective times to walk, the optimum seasons, altitudes, temperatures, barometer readings, inclines, walking surfaces, distances, paces, eating and sleeping habits, medicinal intakes, lunar cycles, weights, shoes, clothing, breathing rhythms, and styles of walking? Companies publish periodicals called “Walking Magazine” and “Rambler”. People actually write books on walking.

The Long Road Turns to Joy : A Guide to Walking Meditation

Walking: The Ultimate Exercise For Optimum Health

Running and Walking for Women Over 40 : The Road to Sanity and Vanity

Websites cover a myriad of surprising subjects for walkers, like “How To Walk.” Organizations like “Shape Up America” attract many members. You can even hire walking coaches, for the love of Pete. But, don’t disparage serious walkers. Whenever you need advice you don’t go to the novices, you go to the experts. Lots of people talk the walk. We need those who walk the talk

Ten Lifestyle Traits Found in Healthy Aging People

• Physically active lifestyle
• Sense of humor
• Smart frugal eating
• Sense of spirituality
• Ability to cope with loss
• Positive attitude
• Affinity for lifelong learning
• Humanitarian spirit
• Strong social networking
• Good sleep, rest, relaxation habits

Walking is the essence of Christianity. After all the excitement of the new birth, after all the power of the supernatural, after all the revelations of the Word of God, everything settles down to a walk.

Walking is what you do every day in order to take care of the necessities of life.

Walking in Christ is what you do every day in order to maintain a relationship with God.

Walking is more than

• Speaking in tongues
• Dancing in the aisles
• Preaching, teaching, leading

Walking in Christ is… 

• …what you do when you get up tomorrow morning.
• …quietly deciding how you will spend your time tomorrow evening.
• …committing your life to God all day long tomorrow, and the next day…
• …your vocation.
• …your interaction among others in your world.
• …going to heaven one day at a time.

The New Testament instructs us how to walk in Christ.

Walk after the Spirit.

Romans 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. (Also vs. 4)

• Walking after the Spirit means paying attention to the leading of the Holy Ghost.
• It means being lead by the Spirit of God.
• It means modeling your life after the Spirit of God.

Walk in the Spirit.

Galatians 5:16 This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.

• Walking in the Spirit means consciously listening to God’s commands.
• It means relying on the Spirit of God for your strength and ability to overcome.
• Some things that will never stop bothering us…they are lusts of the flesh.
• Our only answer is to replace or crowd out the flesh with spiritual pursuits.

Walk in good works.

Ephesians 2:10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

• Helping people; giving sacrificially; loving justice and righteousness.
• Some people do evil works; others do selfish works, others do no works.
• Titus 1:16 They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.
• 2 Timothy 4:14 Alexander the coppersmith did me much evil: the Lord reward him according to his works:

Walk in love.

Ephesians 5:2 And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour.

• Let’s think about what it means to walk in love.
• The way we talk to each other; the way we talk about each other.
• The way we treat each other; the way we treat the church.
• 1 Thess 3:12 And the Lord make you to increase and abound in love one toward another, and toward all men, even as we do toward you:

Walk circumspectly.

Ephesians 5:15 See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise,

Peripheral vision is a part of vision that occurs outside the very center of gaze. Peripheral vision is weak in humans, especially at distinguishing color and shape. This is because the density of receptor cells on the retina is greatest at the center and lowest at the edges. Peripheral vision is good at detecting motion, however, and is relatively strong at night or in the dark, when the lack of color cues and lighting makes cone cells far less useful. This makes it useful for avoiding predators, who tend to hunt at night and may attack suddenly from ambush. Peripheral vision loss may occur due to a number of ocular or neurological diseases or disorders such as glaucoma, stroke, etc.

The opposite of peripheral vision is tunnel vision. Spiritual tunnel vision makes people vulnerable to attack, pitfalls and boundaries.

Walk in wisdom.

Colossians 4:5 Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time. Be mindful of how your actions affect the world around you.

Walk worthy of God.

1 Thessalonians 2:12 That ye would walk worthy of God, who hath called you unto his kingdom and glory.

Do not permit yourself to sink to low and shameful activities.

Walk in the light.

1 John 1:7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.

Walking in the light means avoiding darkness.

Walk in truth.

3 John 4 I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.

You are responsible for the truth you have.

‘Fat Man Walking’ completes cross-country trek

Tuesday, May 9, 2006; Posted: 9:34 p.m. EDT (01:34 GMT)

Steve Vaught poses on the George Washington Bridge near the end of his cross-country trek.

• thefatmanwalking.com

NEW YORK (AP) — Steve Vaught didn’t count each mile he walked or weigh himself every day along the way. And as he completed the final leg of his trek across America , he said making it to New York City from California on foot was only part of his story.

“I’m glad that I’m here, but for me it’s never been about the destination,” he said as he crossed the George Washington Bridge from New Jersey to Manhattan more than a year after he began the trip to lose weight and find happiness. “It’s been about the journey.”

Vaught, 40, began the roughly 3,000-mile trek from his Oceanside, California, home to Manhattan on April 10, 2005, when he was 410 pounds and suffering from severe depression after he accidentally killed two elderly pedestrians while driving 15 years ago.

He ended the journey Tuesday about 100 pounds lighter. Along the way, Vaught slept in tents and motels and went through 15 pairs of shoes, more than 30 pairs of socks and six backpacks. But he didn’t travel with a pedometer or measure the food he ate, and he said he aimed to change his behavior — not just his weight.

“This is not about obsessing about numbers, or times, or dates, or miles,” he said. “It’s just about going on a walk and sort of having time to get things straight.”

Vaught chronicled his progress on a Web site, thefatmanwalking.com, which lists the names of dozens of supporters in 26 U.S. states. His trip attracted the attention of documentary filmmakers and national television, and he plans to write a book about his experiences.

As Vaught began walking the span from New Jersey to Manhattan on Tuesday evening with a flock of cameras and reporters, a passing bicyclist yelled, “Hey, that’s the walking dude! Congratulations! Good job!”

Nicoline Biggio, who went to see him complete his journey, said her husband has been following Vaught’s progress but was missing the finale because he was out of town.

“I think it’s great that he’s finished his goal,” Biggio said. “So few of us actually keep them.”

Vaught posed for photographs on the bridge with the New York City skyline in the background and standing in front of the “Welcome to New York, the Empire State” sign. Once he reached the other side — his final destination — he spoke to reporters for a few minutes on the street before being picked up by a black sedan that was to take him to a hotel.

His first plan, he said, to “put on some new socks.”

Copyright 2006 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.