Stride

It was just a word that popped out in conversation yesterday with a precious friend. She has a way of speaking to my heart and God has used her conversation many times to influence me in one way or another... always tilted God's way. The word was stride... It was used in conjunction with a bumpy friendship that had found its stride. But the word was clearly one that jumped out and attached itself to my mind. I love it when that happens...because it makes me wonder how God is going to expound his truth regarding this ordinary word. So I begin writing with no initial thoughts....and hope that He will take over and show me what it is that I can gleam from it.

Stride...Idioms:
hit one's stride,
to achieve a regular or steady pace or course.
to reach the point or level at which one functions most competently and consistently: The quarterback didn't hit his stride until the second half of the game.
take in stride, to deal with calmly; cope with successfully: She was able to take her sudden rise to fame in stride.

And sure enough it hit me...she had used in in context with an earthly relationship but God has put it on my heart in reference to an eternal relationship.....a relationship and friendship that He wants to exceed all others. We hear about Jesus Christ...and the sacrifice he made while he was on this earth so that we could be cleansed with out penalty (death) of what we deserved for our natural sin and sins...(I know that is heavy but it is truth)..and .we believe what we have heard but then we go about our days without a conscious effort to incorporate this truth into our daily walk. This sacrifice finds its way to my back burner and I go about with expectation and entitlement that is self driven rather than Christ inspired.

But every once in while I am reminded that I am not alone...ever...in my walk. Christ stands beside me...goes before me and watches my back. So back to this "stride" thing. Look again at the references:

1) to achieve a regular or steady pace or course...isn't that what Christ is trying to teach us to do...to learn to trust him in all circumstances and not try to take things on alone...be they hard or simple situations. Walk in a stride that is consistent with Christ's way and will for our lives. STRIDE

2) to reach the point or level at which one functions most competently and consistently...I have found that when I do make an effort to put my confidence in the Lord...it changes my perspective on whatever it is that I am dealing with. For Christ has proved himself competent...while I have proved myself incompetent over and over...I make the same mistakes over and over...I am consistent alright ..but I am "consistently" wrong in my attitude or my behavior or my response...If I want true competency and consistency...then that has to come directly from the Lord. My way just has holes on every side. It is only through Him and with Him that I have a chance at getting things right....and I do mean anything! STRIDE

3) take in stride, to deal with calmly; cope with successfully ....when we do consciously invite Christ to a part of our daily walk...we find ourselves packed with a peace that does pass understanding because in spite of what we are faced with, we are confident in Christ's final outcome and the pressure of having to untangle a mess of confusion or debate lies in His hands as he works through me, in His timing. Things do work for His glory in the end! We might not agree with his ways or His decision... but his plan has ultimately been activated. STRIDE

It is just a word.... Stride....but what a word to strive for...to be in "Stride" with Christ and to be able to walk in a
regular and steady course, at a Godly generated pace. To be able to step forward in development or progress....on a path that God has made way for us to walk. A relationship with Christ is one that may start out bumpy...but that is only because we haven't really submitted to trusting him and obeying him. Once we learn to activate those two simple things the stride begins to take...and we are on our way to walking forward in step with Him....toward development and progress on our daily journey in life.... with God and with others!!

This is the only verse in the bible where the word stride is mentioned....found it to be interesting...note all illustrations are those who move in stride with confidence and consistency...may we too move stately in our stride.

Proverbs 30:29-31
29 "There are three things that are stately in their stride,
four that move with stately bearing:

30 a lion, mighty among beasts,
who retreats before nothing;
31 a strutting rooster, a he-goat,
and a king with his army around him

Dear Lord, help me to be in stride with you and walk in your ways and trust in your guidance. Remind me that if things are bumpy in my life then it is you who wil give me the confidence and consistency to plow through them in your stride ...if only I submit to your ways...and forfeit my own. Amen


Praise God wherever you are and whatever situation He has allowed you to be in . . . His glory will shine through!