The Chowchilla News Pastor’s Commentary by John Parker for= =20 January 10, 2007

WALKING TOUR

The Chowchilla News Pastor’s Commentary by John Parker for January 10, 2007

When my friend Richard’s ca= r broke down and had to be in the garage almost a month for repairs, he decided to = start walking. He walked several blocks to catch the bus to work each day. He sta= rted using his lunch hour to take walks since he couldn’t drive home for l= unch. He even walked two miles round tri= p to do his grocery shopping and over two miles to his church on Sundays!

“I really got in touch with= the benefits of walking during that time.” Richard told me. “Walking helps me relax, focus, pray, and be more observant of life itself.” <= o:p>

Richard’s exceptional choic= e to walk was simply the necessary norm before the advent of trains, bicycles, c= ars, and planes. It still is for m= ost people in the world.

It was the main mode of JesusR= 17; day.

As Jesus is “walking beside= the Sea of Galilee” he calls his first disciples,= Peter, Andrew, James, and John, to follow him. (Matthew 4:18)

As “Jesus is walking byR= 21; John the Baptist sees him and announces to his listeners, “Behold the Lamb= of God that takes away the sin of world!” (John 1:36)<= /p>

To get him up and walking Jesus, = says to the paraplegic, “Cheer up, son. I forgive your sins.” When some religious know-it-alls ge= t huffy about this Jesus retorts with, “Which do you think is simpler: to say, ‘I forgive your sins,’ or, ‘Get up and walk’?”= ; and turning back to the paraplegic he says, “Get up. Take your bed and go home.” And the man got up a walked home! (Luke 5:20-26)

The man began walking again---ins= ide and out---body and soul!

The Reverend Samuel Yameogo, a lo= cal pastor in Burkina Faso= (a very poor land-locked country in central Africa) challenges us, "If you want to prea= ch only to our souls, go to the place of the dead. That is the only place where body = and soul are separate. Here on earth to reach my soul, you cannot neglect my bo= dy.“

St. John writes, “Dear friend, I pr= ay that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, even as y= our soul is getting along well.” (3 John 2)

St. Paul agrees, writing, “= May God himself, the God who makes everything holy and whole, make you holy and whole, put you together—spirit, soul, and body—and keep you fit= …” (1 Thessalonians 5:23)

The New Testament urges us to = 220;rise up and walk!” “Walk in love!” (Ephesians 5:2) “Walk= in the light!” (1 John 1:7) “Walk by faith!” (1 Corinthians = 5:7)

“This is how we know we are= in him: Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did.” (1 John 2:5-6)

Richard’s car repair ended = up repairing him as well! Walkin= g does wonders! By body, soul, and spirit! For body, soul, and spirit!<= /span>

Happy Trails! Pastor John

The Rev. John Parker is pastor of ChristChurch of Chowchilla located at 260 N. Sixth Street, Chowchilla= , CA.= Sunday Service is at 10 AM. <= /span>Email Pastor John at: johnparker@christchur= chchowchilla.com or phone 209.726.0119

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