I suppose I have always
enjoyed walking. I suppose my love for walking started back in my teenage days when I was in scouts
and we walked over 150 miles on the Appalachian Trail. My love for walking has increased in these
pandemic days. When the gym closed due
to the order of our governor, it seemed to be
a good option to continue my fitness and exercise regimen. Most days, I walk between 10,000 to 13,000
steps which equals 5 to 6 miles.
Walking also provides the
opportunity for something else:
spiritual exercises. Most days,
I spend some of my walking time listening to Bible readings and praying. In recent weeks, I have been doing what
someone many years called a “prayer walk”.
As I pass by homes in my neighborhood, I will pray for the people who
live there whether I know them or not.
I will say prayers for people I see doing errands around their homes or
going to and fro. I do not live in the
same neighborhood where my church is located, but I have started doing “prayer
walks” in the neighborhood around the church I serve. I know the names of some of the neighbors,
but not all of them. Whether I know
the names of the occupants in the homes and the people I see in their yards, I
find myself praying for them.
In James 5:16, we read
the following words: 16 Therefore confess your sins to each
other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a
righteous person is powerful and effective. I am a righteous
person for one reason alone: the
righteousness that is found in Christ.
I believe that everyone needs to pray and to be prayed for. You may not be able to able to walk daily
as much as I do, but each of us can pray:
for the people who live next door… for the persons in the car beside us
at the traffic light… for the person who waits on us at the store. Have a joy-filled week.- Pastor Randy Wall
PRAYER
O
God, you are as close to us as our
heartbeat and breath. We thank you for
the gift to pray and to be prayed for.
We pray for the people we know and do not know. Remind us daily that we need you; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
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