Mike’s Musings …
It’s Getting Hard to Walk
When I was young, walking was easy. It was no problem to walk to and from school, a mile in both directions, but it became much easier once I was old enough to ride my bicycle. When I was in high school and marching in the band, our step was a stiff, military-style, thigh-high march. It wasn’t easy, but it soon became the “normal” way of walking for many of us in the band. When I was young, I would hear my father often tell my mother, “Pick your feet up, Stell!” She had a bad back, and walking had become difficult. I was young, but now that I’m older, with a damaged back and artificial knees, marching is impossible, and walking isn’t easy! But, to get around as needed, I must walk!
As we age, walking grows increasingly difficult! Several are arthritic, and their ability to stand, let alone walk, is quite painful. Watching such people is a vivid reminder of Ecclesiastes 12 and the admission of increasing difficulties. We try to mask our walking difficulties by using canes or walkers, and we grow more accepting of those with a slower gait as we also proceed with a slower pace. We admit it is getting harder to walk.
Sadder still are the realities of those who can no longer walk – not even a step! It is as though they now live the closing years of their lives as Peter lived his: “Verily, verily, I say unto thee, When thou wast young, thou girdedst thyself, and walkedst whither thou wouldest: but when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and carry thee whither thou wouldest not.” (John 21:18) How they would enjoy just one more step, but they cannot: the ability to do so is gone!
Fortunately, this is only a physical problem for the faithful! Their walking with God increases daily, for their faith increases daily! I muse on the spiritual fitness of those faithful ones who physically find it hard to walk. Their spiritual walk is the epitome of Psalm 23, and demonstrates the power of Ephesians 2:10; 5:2, and Colossians 4:5. They prove the truth of 1 John 1:7. I muse on the impressive way these find such a walk to be more delightful and beneficial than all the physical walks they’ve taken in life. Let’s follow their example and keep on walking with Christ!
