As they talked and discussed, Jesus himself drew near and walked along with them. –Luke 24:15 (GNT)
Do you ever feel like life is going faster and faster? Mahatma Gandhi wrote, “There is more to life than simply increasing its speed.”
Is there any way to slow down?
Japanese theologian Kosuke Koyama wrote a book, Three Mile an Hour God. Related to that, author Mark Buchanan claims, “Three miles an hour seems to be the pace God keeps.” Why? Buchanan explains: “Three miles an hour is roughly the speed of walking. Koyama’s claim is that God moves at this speed, but we often miss him because we’re in too great a rush. Ironically, if we’re going to catch up with God, we need to slow down.”
We all know the many physical benefits of walking, but did you know it can help your mental health too? Harvard Medical School claims, “There is no medication yet invented that can cut your risk of dementia by 50%. But walking about 10,000 steps per day might.”
Moreover, Buchanan believes walking can help our spiritual health too, adding, “Walking is one of the best gifts God gave us.” He explains: “The Bible, end to end, uses the image of walking in both a literal and figurative sense to explore the forming and outworking of faith. God walked, presumably with Adam and Eve, in the garden of Eden in the cool of the day. Enoch walked with God. Noah walked with God. The prophet Micah says that the three things God requires of us is to love mercy, do justly, and walk humbly with God. In the New Testament, particularly in the writings of John and Paul, walking is a key image to describe living out our faith. And then, above all, the gospel writers (especially Mark) depict Jesus as a constant walker, always inviting others to ‘Come, follow me.’”
Are you looking for a way to draw closer to God, lessen your speed, improve your physical health, lose weight, sharpen your mind, foster your creativity, reduce your stress, boost your mood, and get some fresh air and sunshine, all at the same time?
Put down your phone, turn off the TV, and go for a walk and pray!
S.D.G./S.G.D.
