“He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?” (Micah 6:8 ESV)
I’m not sure how well I ‘do justice’ or ‘love kindness’ but I do know that for the better part of a week I walked humbly with God. My wife and I just returned from our second visit to the Holy Land where we did a lot of walking. We visited some of the basic tourist places and some places not on everyone’s tour. It was a fabulous, awesome, humbling experience.
We were once again made aware that some sites are ‘traditional’ – meaning they more than likely are not original locations but have come to represent the unknown precise locations. Some sites are ‘true’ – meaning they are locations where what they represent actually happened. That’s important to know but it’s not what makes or breaks the experience. We were there not to venerate but commemorate. We were constantly reminded that it’s not the where but the what – not where something happened but what happened. Once we grasp the what we are pointed to the who. The who – God. God and His history with His people. The who – Jesus and His history with us. To be in that environment is a spiritual experience. It brings the Bible to life as it increases our understanding and awareness of the Biblical scenes and events. But it also instills within us a sense of walking where God has worked in special ways and where Jesus walked, died and rose.I felt a closeness with Jesus that is hard to duplicate in my everyday environment.
That’s why I so appreciate the old song, I Walked Today Where Jesus Walked: (1)
I walked today where Jesus walked,
In days of long ago.
I wandered down each path He knew,
With reverent step and slow.
Those little lanes, they have not changed,
A sweet peace fills the air.
I walked today where Jesus walked,
And felt His presence there.
My pathway led through Bethlehem,
Ah mem’ries ever sweet.
The little hills of Galilee,
That knew His childish feet.
The Mount of Olives, hallowed scenes,
That Jesus knew before
I saw the mighty Jordan roll,
As in the days of yore.
I knelt today where Jesus knelt,
Where all alone he prayed.
The Garden of Gethsemane,
My heart felt unafraid.
I picked my heavy burden up,
And with Him at my side,
I climbed the Hill of Calvary,
I climbed the Hill of Calvary,
I climbed the Hill of Calvary,
Where on the Cross He died!
I walked today where Jesus walked,
And felt Him close to me.
It’s an apt description of the experience.
Yet both times I’ve returned I’ve pondered, “Do I need to be in Israel to feel so close to Jesus?” While the experience of being in Israel cannot be duplicated the closeness can be, to some degree, replicated. As someone has said of the song just quoted, “This song seems at first glance only to talk about the beauty of the Holy Land and relate it to events in the life of Jesus Christ. However, it is so much more. The singer is talking about their own Christian journey, as they “walk where Jesus walked,” as they follow Him from “childish feet” all the way to dying on Calvary – dying to self, and truly becoming a follower of Christ in their heart. This song is about Jesus’ journey, but also about each person’s journey to follow in His footsteps.” (2)
I believe that’s true. Yet I’ve also come to realize that I can also walk today where Jesus walks today. Where does He walk? “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” (Luke 19:10) “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” (Luke 4:18-19) “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’ “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’” (Matthew 25:37-40)
What do you say we take a walk? Lord God, give us discernment and courage to walk today where you are walking and be your presence there. Amen!
(1) http://www.lyricsmode.com/lyrics/r/religious_music/i_walked_today_where_jesus_walked.html
(2) Ibid