Stop Standing on One Leg and Get Moving

There is an old Chinese proverb which says, “He who deliberates fully before taking a step will spend his entire life on one leg.” This thought ties in with one made by Napoleon Bonaparte. He said: “Take time to deliberate, but when the time for action has arrived, stop thinking and go in.” A great many people fail in life because they are always thinking of what they are going to do, but they never get around to doing anything worthwhile. It was Henry Ford who said, “You can’t build a reputation on what you are going to do.”

The year 1998 is still young. What do we expect to accomplish for God this year? Yes, we should take time to deliberate as Napoleon said, but what are we going to do after we have thought about it? The answer for so many is to just think about it some more.

If we are going to do something for the Lord in 1998, we had better get started doing it. What have we done that is really worthwhile in the few weeks of 1998 that are behind us? If it is precious little, doesn’t that tell us that the rest of the year won’t be any better unless we stop standing on just one leg? We need to put the other leg in front and start moving. This is called “walking” in scripture.

It was Moses who said, “And now, O Israel, what does the Lord your God ask of you but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul.”

Now it is impossible to walk sitting down. Are we sitting? Are we standing on one leg? Or are we actually moving forward one step at a time doing what the Lord requires of us?

Where do we go when we walk humbly with our God? David said, “I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the Lord. Our feet are standing in your gates, O Jerusalem.” So walking humbly with God would certainly include going into the house of the Lord.

Paul picks up the theme by linking our feet to preaching. “And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!”

So far in 1998, have our feet been in the house of the Lord when they should have been there? This would include attending Bible classes, evening programs, Sunday school and CYC activities as well as the memorial service. Have our feet moved us into the preaching arena by taking the saving message of the gospel to everyone we meet, whether it be at work, school or in the neighborhood?

Stop standing around on one leg and get moving for the Lord. This is the message. The apostle John said, “I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk  in truth.” Solomon encourages us to get moving by saying: “When you walk your steps will not be hampered; when you run, you will not stumble.” Isaiah tells us: “They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk and not faint.”