HAVE YOU RUN OUT=
OF
WALK?
The
Chowchilla News
Pastor’s Commentary by John Parker for
January 24, 2007
Have you ever run-out-of-walk? Ha=
ve you
had times when it seems you can’t take another step?
Before he got his medication to h=
elp with
congestive heart failure issues, our 12 year old Cocker Spaniel, Edmund, wo=
uld
do just that---run-out-of-walk.
If we took him on a walk he thought was too long he would simply lie
down, anchor his body and legs on the sidewalk and call it a day. No talking or tugging would budge
him. Sometimes after catching=
his
breath he would get up and, eventually, get all the way back home. Other times we had to carry him th=
e rest
of the way home. We take shor=
ter
walks now and with his medication Ed’s doing much better!
When I was five, my mother, two o=
ld brothers,
and I, took a hike led by a park ranger, up
One Night a man had a dream. He d=
reamed
he was walking along the beach with the Lord. Across the sky flashed scenes
from his life. For each scene, he noticed two sets of footprints in the san=
d;
one belonged to him and the other to the Lord.
When the last scene of his life f=
lashed
before him, he looked back at the footprints in the sand. He noticed that m=
any
times along the path of his life there was only one set of footprints. He a=
lso
noticed that it happened at the very lowest and saddest times in his life. =
This really bothered him and he
questioned the Lord about it. "Lord, you said that once I decided to
follow you you'd walk with me all the way, but I have noticed that during t=
he
most troublesome times in my life, there is only one set of footprints. I d=
on't
understand why when I needed you most you would leave me."
The Lord replied, "My precio=
us, precious
child, I love you and would never leave you. During your times of trial and
suffering when you see only one set of footprints, it was then that I carri=
ed
you."
And the Bible says: “When my
flesh and my heart may fail, God is the strength of my heart and my portion
forever.” (Psalm 73:26)
“His strength really comes =
into
its own during our times of weakness.” (2 Corinthians 12:9)
“He will tend his flock lik=
e a
shepherd; he will gather the lambs in his arms; he will carry them in his
bosom, and gently lead those that are with young.” (Isaiah 40:11)
When it comes to helping with each
other’s walk the Bible says, “each one should carry his own
load” but in the same paragraph it says, “carry each other̵=
7;s
burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.” (Galati=
ans
6:2-5) Oftentimes, just showi=
ng up
for church or a small group meeting with fellow sojourners renews our walki=
ng
energy and gives us the second wind to carry on.
Perhaps that is why the verse was
written, “Forsake not the assembling of yourselves together.”
(Hebrews 10:24) It’s probably some of what Jesus had in mind when he
promised, “When two or three gather in my name, there am I in the mid=
st
of them.” (Matthew 18:20)
May the Lord and some faith-walki=
ng-friends
put some run-back-in-your-walk when you need it! Amen!
Happy Trails! Pastor John
The Rev. John Parker is pastor of
ChristChurch of Chowchilla located at