Put One Foot in Front of the Other

Do you remember this song from “Santa Claus Is Coming To Town”?

Did you know it’s Biblical? 

“For we walk by faith and not by sight.”  2 Corinthians 5:7

Lately I’ve been thinking of someone who didn’t just walk by faith, but ran by faith.  The example of David and Goliath was used by my pastor a few weeks back in a sermon.  In this historical story, told in 1 Samuel 16 and 17, David had been anointed as King of Israel by Samuel the prophet.  However, he was still just a young man serving as shepherd to his father’s flock.  His father sent him to take food to his brothers, who were on the battlefield with all the armies of Israel.  The Philistines had gathered to battle against them, with their figurehead a great and terrible giant named Goliath.

All the men of Israel were cowering in fear before this giant, who blasphemed the name of God everyday to their faces.

No one dared stand against him.  Until the shepherd boy David arrived on the scene. 

It is a familiar story, but well worth reading again.  The part I am writing of today is found in 1 Samuel 17:48-50.

⁴⁸ So it was, when the Philistine arose and came and drew near to meet David, that David hurried and ran toward the army to meet the Philistine. ⁴⁹ Then David put his hand in his bag and took out a stone; and he slung it and struck the Philistine in his forehead, so that the stone sank into his forehead, and he fell on his face to the earth. ⁵⁰ So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone, and struck the Philistine and killed him. But there was no sword in the hand of David.

There are times to walk by faith and there are times to take off in a hard run – not away from the battle, but towards it.  I believe that as David took those first few steps towards that giant, what he began in faith was encompassed by the very power and glory of God.  As he ran, the Spirit of God came upon him and anointed him, anointed those very rocks that he laid hold of.  David’s part was to act in faith; God’s part was to give him the victory over a giant that was a very real and evil force against the people of God.

And so it can be with you and me.  As we rise up in faith, we can run towards the battles of this life – both big and small.  When we step out in obedience to and faith in God’s Word, He will empower us to overcome every enemy – whether it is the giant of despair and discouragement or the giant of illness or financial loss.  We are empowered as we walk in faith to spread the good news of the Kingdom – the gospel message – to slay the giants of apathy and blindness to the truth of God’s Word. 

Put one foot in front of the other – you may find yourself taking off in a hard run!  And a giant is getting ready to hit the cold hard ground.

(By the way, here are the lyrics to that songJ)

Put one foot in front of the other
And soon you’ll be walking cross the floor
Put one foot in front of the other
And soon you’ll be walking out the door

You never will get where you’re going
If you never get up on your feet
Come on, there’s a good tail wind blowing
A fast walking man is hard to beat


If you want to change your direction
If your time of life is at hand
Well don’t be the rule be the exception
A good way to start is to stand

If I want to change the reflection
I see in the mirror each morn
You mean that it's just my election
To vote for a chance to be reborn

Santa Claus Is Coming To Town (Animated)
(ABC) December 13, 1970
New Music by Maury Laws
New Lyrics by Jules Bass

 

Rhonda Roughton