Jump Start # 517

1 Thessalonians 4:1 “Finally then, brethren, we request and exhort you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received from us instruction as to how you ought to walk and please God (just as you actually do walk), that you excel still more.”

    Paul puts before us a wonderful concept—walking and pleasing God. The way we walk ought to please God. These brethren were given instructions on how to do that very thing. You and I have those same instructions.

  This concept brings before us the importance of thinking spiritually every day and every where. It’s not just a Sunday thing. In the dog eat dog world of business, one must walk and please his God. It can be done. In sports, walk and please God. No breaking the rules. At school, walk and please God. No cheating on tests. No trashing the feelings of others.

  It seems to me that the more we walk and please God, the better our walk becomes. Our walk tends to be joyful when we are pleasing God. There is a certain spring in our step. Nothing beats pleasing God. The day can be a disaster, we’ve all had them, yet we can still please God. Even preachers get bad days. Computers don’t feel like computing, copiers quit copying, the mind is empty and blank with dead lines approaching. Every phone call is a salesman who is annoying. The clock keeps ticking, the pressure mounts, nothing seems to fall into place. We wish we could rewind, go back and start the day over. But you can’t. There are days in which it seems that you get nothing done. Even in all of this, if one ends the day, pleasing God, it’s been a good day.

  You don’t have to do great things to please God. You can if you want, but generally, it’s the everyday things that really matter. First, it begins by just thinking of Him. It’s hard to please Him if you don’t think of Him. How can we do that? The day gets busy. Computers, texts, emails, phone calls, interruptions, paper work, people to talk to…the day can be filled and crazy. Remember God? Some might think, “I can hardly remember my self.” On my desk, I have a picture of my wife, Debbie. It’s not that I forget what she looks like or I don’t remember that I’m married, but it’s simply a reminder. My desk is often cluttered with books, paperwork, phones and sometimes even lunch. In the busyness of the day, I see that picture and it makes me think of her. Maybe a Bible on your desk would do the same for you. Not a big monster size Bible, but just a simple one. You see it and you remember Him. You remember how much He loves you. You remember that in your busy day, He’s not forgotten you. It helps you to please Him. It helps you to walk with Him.

  Maybe a CD of some hymns to play in the car ride home. That sure beats whatever is on the radio. Hymns have a way of calming us down, getting our order in order and they bring us to Him. You remember Him. That adjusts your walk. That fixes your attitude. That puts you in the position to please Him.

  Maybe at dinner, everyone holds hands and you say a real prayer. You thank the Lord for all that you were able to do. Again you connect to Him. That makes you think of your walk. That leads you to please Him.

  Walking and pleasing…it’s almost like, right foot, left foot. The more you walk with God, the more you please Him. The more you please Him, the more you walk with Him. Right foot, left foot.

  Now in doing this, you’ll find that you are thinking about God every day. Soon, you’ll discover that you think about God all the time. Then you find out that you hardly ever turn off the “God button” in your heart and mind. Your speech starts reflecting that. You attitude shows it. Others will notice that you seem at peace, joyful and confident. And why not, you are pleasing God and walking with Him. Nothing could be better.

  All of this is connected to be able to think about God throughout the day. Without thinking about Him, I will not think much of my walk and then I will not think any of pleasing Him. What happens is that God is stuffed in a box called Sunday and that’s about the only time I open it up.

  Thinking about God…that’s the key. That’s the first step of this walk. Don’t have time? Sure you do. Too busy? Never for God. Need help? It’s there, just look for it.

  Walking and pleasing…what two great concepts that are really joined together.

Roger