What does it mean to walk with God? As a Christian, I often hear this phrase used to talk about having a relationship with God, seeking Him, and trying to live a life that honors His principles. While these things are all part of walking with God, I don’t believe they capture the whole picture of what God is inviting us into when He asks us to walk with Him.

 

Lately I’ve been reading Psalm 139, a song written by David that captures his amazement at how close God really is in his life. Throughout the psalm, he reflects on how a mighty, all-knowing God understands every detail of each person’s life — and our God still chooses to draw near and have relationship with the people He’s created.

 

However, even as David reflects on God’s greatness, I believe he captures an important truth of what it means to actually walk with God. In Psalm 139:3, he writes, “You scrutinize my path and my lying down, and are intimately acquainted with all my ways.” Then later on in verse 5, he shares, “You have enclosed me behind and before, and laid Your hand upon me.” Both of these verses reveal how God surrounds us with His presence in every part of our lives, simply because He wants to. He’s not a God who just sits up in heaven and watches our lives play out from a distance — He comes near in the good and the hard times of our lives and desires to walk down the path of life with us.

 

Later still in the psalm, David writes, “If I take the wings of the dawn, if I dwell in the remotest part of the sea, even there Your hand will lead me, and Your right hand will lay hold of me.” (Psalm 139:9-10) This sheds even more light on what walking with God can look like in our lives. It’s not only trying to live a good life and follow God’s principles; it’s letting God actually take hold of our lives so He can lead us in what He knows is best. Many times we think we have the best plan and know what we need to accomplish to be satisfied in life; but in reality, our view as humans can be limited by our past experiences and circumstances. Instead, why not trust an all-knowing and all-loving God to carry out His plan for our lives?

 

My favorite part of verses 9 and 10 is the picture of God’s hand leading us and taking hold of us. Not only does this refer to us accepting God’s direction in life, but it also gives a picture of a Heavenly Father who reaches down to take the hand of His child and help support and lead them. God chooses to reveal Himself as a Father to us, regardless of what our experiences have been with earthly parents — He wants us to come to Him as little children who recognize our need to fully rely on Him (Mark 10:14-15, Galatians 4:6).

 

When God asks us to walk with Him, He is inviting us into living a life under the care and guidance of our Heavenly Father. We don’t have to try to please a God who’s waiting in heaven to see if we do enough good things in life — we’re given a relationship with a God who desires to care for us as His children and lead us in what He knows is best.

 

Today, as I’ve been learning to do lately, my encouragement is to relax any grip you have on your own life, and instead let God take hold of your hand and lead you along His path for you. He is a God who wants to be near to us in every part of our lives, no matter what circumstances we face — and His peace truly comes when we’re walking close to Him as a Father and a Friend.