Walking in a Manner Worthy of Him

“And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; being strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy; giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light.” (Colossians 1:9-12, ESV)

There are many things people try to prepare you for when you’re becoming a parent for the first time. There are big things and small things; from warnings about the looming sleepless nights and allowing yourself to get rest where you can to the savoring of every moment. Between bottles, diapering, feeding, sleep schedules, and keeping up with baby’s milestones, there’s a lot to learn and focus on– and that’s just the first stage of a child’s life! 

What no one warns you about is how much information you receive at the hospital: things to watch for with baby’s breathing, things to watch for postpartum-wise with mom, purple crying, caring for the umbilical cord, breastfeeding or bottlefeeding. The list is just endless. To the hospital’s credit, they do the best they can in making the information dump as efficient as they can between videos and take-home paperwork but especially the first time around, it feels like there is so much you don’t know and are jumping into. 

Truth is, the hospital is giving you worst-case information so that you have knowledge in a worst-case scenario. That way, if you find yourself there, you have some sort of idea of what needs to be done and what’s not normal. Ultimately, as a parent, you gather know-how along the way. Despite what people have told you or what sticks from the crash course before they send you home with this new, little baby, you start to gain parenting skills as you go and you gather it by doing.

I haven’t heard too many people brag about how much they know about being a parent. It probably exists out there somewhere, but most don’t because they know that somewhere along the way, they will get it wrong or they will make mistakes. 

For Christians, knowledge of the Bible is not always observed the same way. Personally, I’ve fellowshipped with people that emphatically love the Lord, yet know next to nothing about the Bible. They do what feels right or what their pastor says is right. If they embark into reading scripture, it only goes so far as to validate what they already think about God. 

On the other hand, I’ve also worshipped with people who devour scripture and know sound doctrine, but that knowledge doesn’t impassion them to worship with affection for their Savior. Instead, it puffs them up and makes them unapproachable for those who could glean from their wisdom. 

In the end, neither is a truly effective Christian. Their fruit is half-hearted. One end worships with such reverence, love, and understanding of what the Lord has done on a personal level, and the other end rests in deep knowledge of the Word and all the riches of knowing God.

If we were looking at this in the application of parenting– affection vs. wisdom– we would agree that every great parent needs both and should actively pursue the area they are weak in. But too often, we’re content to accept our shortcomings in pursuing the Lord. 

Our tenderness for the Lord should drive us to want to know more of Him, and understanding more about Him should bear more love within us. More than that, it should drive us to desire to honor Him in every little thing we do. 

Ask any Christian: what do they want the Lord to see in their life? When they finally meet Him face to face, what do they want to see and hear from the Lord? 

The answer will always be that they want that age-old, “Well done, my good and faithful servant.” They want to know that the fruit of a life lived for Christ was found all throughout their days on earth. They want the Lord to embrace them and be delighted in how that life was lived.

But when we’re in the weeds of this life, what is our focus? Is it that our spiritual wisdom is good enough for now? Is it pride in what we already know instead of what we could humbly gain? Is it something completely separate from God?

Does our knowledge of God and our devotion towards Him equate to a Christian walk that is lived out in a manner that is worthy of Him? Does it all work together to bear spiritual fruit and please God? Do we strive to glorify God in all our comings and goings, knowing that every little thing will come together to worship Him in the big things?

Do we endure life’s challenges and bad days with joy? Do we give thanks in all things? Do we forget to live in a manner worthy of Him even when adversity doesn’t loom over us? 

When you take your first little baby home from the hospital, you are deeply aware of this precious, new life you are holding in your hands. You are conscious of how delicate and beautiful it is and how diligent you must be with it. You are mindful and on guard against any threat to it. You love it to pieces and yet you are desperate to have every tool and skill needed in order to be the best parent possible.

It is my prayer today that you would be just as enamored, conscious, and alert to God’s Word and understanding Him. I pray that you would be drawn by His Spirit to desire to walk in a way that is worthy of Him– searching Him out with fierce devotion, and loving Him with intimate, spiritual understanding. 

To walk by faith where affection and wisdom converge is to live with every spiritual blessing there is, and that is something that should be held tightly, yet tenderly.