{a worthy walk}

we r talking abt discipleship... how u walk in a manner worthy of the calling.

from "Our Journey" by James macdonald

Ephesians 4:1-7 (English Standard Version)
1 I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called.

Why do you think the Christian life is described so often as a walk? Five times in Ephesians 4-5, we're given instructions on how to live in pedestrian terms:

"Walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called" (4:1).

"You must no longer walk as the Gentiles do" (4:17).

"Walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us" (5:2).

"Walk as children of light" (5:8).

"Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise" (5:15).

Walking is all about measured progress; it's one foot in front of the other. The Christian life is like that. It takes a lot of days of decisive actions to make progress in becoming the person God wants you to be. You advance one step at a time, bit by bit, in little increments. Freedom doesn't come all at once. Growth doesn't come all at once. Victory and change do not come all at once. Success in Christian life is measured, not in your arrival time, but by the progress you make, day by day.

In addition, Ephesians also talks about the quality of your walk. Are you walking like Christ? Read Ephesians 4:1 again: "I, therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called."

Walk worthy. Worthy carries with it the idea of a balanced scale. The Lord Jesus Christ has named you and claimed you as His child; put that fact on one side of a scale. On the other side, pile all the details about your daily life - your motivations, habits, attitudes, and speech. If the scale balances, your walk is worthy. If we looked a little closer at those instructions from Ephesians 4-5, we could say:

"You must no longer walk as the Gentiles do"
I'm changing - I don't do or say what I used to.

"Walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us"
I'm unselfishishly loving the people in my life.

"Walk as children of light"
I'm guarding my thoughts and my steps so they reflect Christ.

"Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise"
I'm progressively making wiser choices.

I echo Paul when he says, "I beg you to have a walk that is worthy of the Lord." I plead with you - as you would plead with me - that our lives would balace out on God's scale. When we think about our Lord Jesus Christ, who He is and what He has done for us, any sacrifice would besmall for the sake of His great glory. Walk worthy of His calling.