When God made His covenant with Abraham He used an interesting phrase to describe the manner in which Abraham was to live: “walk before Me and be blameless.” Two things speak to us here: a walk being conscious of God’s presence; and a walk being blameless—having a character pleasing and honoring God. Such character encompasses noble virtues.
RELEVANCE
What also comes to mind is something Paul spoke of in Ephesians 5:8-10: “Walk as children of light (for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth), finding out what is acceptable to the Lord.” What also comes to mind is a walk exhibiting the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.
Two people who understood such a walk were Elijah and Elisha. In fact, both used a phrase multiple times: “As the LORD of hosts lives, before whom I stand.” They walked in such a state being conscious of the LORD’s presence. They, therefore, experienced the miracle working power of God’s presence.
The apostle, Paul, therefore, exhorted believers to walk with such a consciousness. He understood that as free children of God, we have an opportunity—and responsibility—to walk in this renewed state as children of God.
If we don’t, we deny ourselves our right of freedom in the LORD as God’s children. Furthermore, we deny God the glory of the full work of His salvation, being no different than unredeemed servants of sin.
“Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin” (Romans 6:4-6).
REFLECT AND RELATE
How do you feel about such living in a state of consciousness of the LORD’s presence?
How might it change your walk?
REFERENCES
John 5:11; 12:42-50