Three Ways of Walking

From: A Message From God: 1922

My dear friend, Miss Esdaile, gave me such beautiful thoughts the other day that I must tell friends in the “Message,” and I hope the thoughts will do them much good, as they have me. Said she, there are three ways of walking: ―

Walk before Me.

Walk after Me.

Walk with Me.

God, said to Abraham in Gen. 17:1,¹And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the Lord appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect. (Genesis 17:1) “Walk before Me,” and thou shalt he kept as a child beneath thy Father’s eye for safety and for warning. We read the same words repeated in the case of Solomon and Hezekiah. In 1 Kings 3:6⁶And Solomon said, Thou hast showed unto thy servant David my father great mercy, according as he walked before thee in truth, and in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart with thee; and thou hast kept for him this great kindness, that thou hast given him a son to sit on his throne, as it is this day. (1 Kings 3:6) Solomon says of his father David, “He walked before thee in truth,” and Hezekiah said to the Lord, when he was sick unto death, “Remember how I have walked before Thee” (2 Kings 20:3³I beseech thee, O Lord, remember now how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart, and have done that which is good in thy sight. And Hezekiah wept sore. (2 Kings 20:3)).

So let us know and delight in the glorious thought that we too may walk before Him.

“Walk after Me.” The Lord Jesus, when on earth, continually said to would-be disciples, “Follow Me,” and so let us pray continually that we may follow Him and strive to tell others of the Way, the Truth and the Life. There is none other Name (Acts 4:12¹²Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. (Acts 4:12)) who can save, so let us follow after Him (1 Peter 2:21²¹For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps: (1 Peter 2:21)).

“Walk with Me.” How can two walk together unless they be agreed? Are we of one mind with our Lord, knowing Him by faith and realizing His great love for us, even to die on the cross to save us? Oh, what wondrous love is His!

And so He invites us to walk with Him as friend with friend, as husband with wife, as parent with child. Enoch walked with God in close intercourse; and so we may continually draw near to God, and He will draw nigh to us, He speaking to us and we speaking to Him. Often on my bed I say with Samuel of old, “Speak, Lord, for Thy servant heareth.”

Emily P. Leakey.

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