MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/related; boundary="----=_NextPart_01C75EFF.8C0556A0" This document is a Single File Web Page, also known as a Web Archive file. If you are seeing this message, your browser or editor doesn't support Web Archive files. Please download a browser that supports Web Archive, such as Microsoft Internet Explorer. ------=_NextPart_01C75EFF.8C0556A0 Content-Location: file:///C:/DCC8A0D9/PC070307Walking9.htm Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Content-Type: text/html; charset="us-ascii" The Chowchilla News Pastor’s Commentary by John Parker for Jan= uary 10, 2007

THE FIRST STEP<= /p>

The Chowchilla News  Pastor’s Commentary by John Parker  for  March 7, 2007

Lots of wildflowers were blooming= when as a young man,  I took a natu= re walk with my father in the Ca= lifornia foothills.  I was amazed that = he knew the names of so many flowers. &n= bsp; I asked him how he learned them.&nb= sp; He told me that his grandfather had taken him on similar walks in th= e Oakland hills whe= n he was a youngster and had taught him the flowers’ names.  I love the memory of that walk. It encourages me in my walk with my Heavenly Father.

There is some indication that God walked with the first man and woman in the Garden of Eden.  The Bible says, “The man and= his wife heard the sound of the Lord God as he was walking in the garden in the= cool of the day.”  (Genesis 3:8)  Their walk ended when th= ey started hiding from God because they were afraid of him finding out about t= heir disobedience.

Walking with God still conjures u= p fear in the hearts on men and women.  We struggle with what God will want, what we will have to give up, and where he might lead us on the walk. 

It is clear that if we do decide = to walk with God he will be the leader of the journey.  Perhaps that’s why Jesus tau= ght us to pray, “Thy name be hallowed, Thy kingdom come, and Thy will be done…” so we would get good at letting go of fear, and our need= to control, and just let go and let God come alongside, and even inside. =

Walking with God can bring great comfort.  So wrote hymn writer, Joseph H. Gilmore, wrote in 1862, “He leadeth me O blessed thought, O words with heavenly comfort frought…”

“In the Garden,” anot= her old hymn, speaks of walking in the garden with God in the early morning.  The garden is not physical but spi= ritual inside the heart of the singer.  During the walk peace and security comes.  “And He walks with me and he= talks with me and he tells me I am his own.”  (Charles Austin Miles, 1913)<= /o:p>

As I felt close to my dad when we walked together considering the flowers of the field so we can allow that s= ense of presence and closeness happen our relationship with God.  It can become close, encouraging, = and comforting too.  We need not be afraid.  It starts with our fi= rst step of faith with him.

Walk On!, Pastor John!=

The Reverend John Parker facilita= tes Christ’s abundant living at ChristChurch of Chowchilla located at 260 N. Sixth Street (at Riverside Avenue).  Sunday Celebrations are at 10 AM.<= span style=3D'mso-spacerun:yes'>  Email Pastor John at: johnparker@christchur= chchowchilla.com or phone 209.726.0119

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