Appropriate Response

Genesis 17:1 I am God Almighty, walk before me and be blameless.

As I began to prepare a lesson for Sunday, These words greeted me. "I am God Almighty, walk before me and be blameless". There are several things that jump out at me when I read this verse.

First God is strong and in fact he is the only God. The Hebrew word here is El Shaddai and it conveys the idea that God is more powerful than any other entity.

Second, 'walk before me' implies the idea that we are always in the presence of God. Our lives should reflect that presence in a way that others can see that we are followers of Jesus. When we come to Christ, the Holy Spirit comes to dwell within us and so we are always in His presence. The amplified version says walk habitually. It should come naturally. Too often, I am afraid, we fail to give God the respect he deserves as we go about life as if He doesn't exist.

Third, What does it mean to be blameless? It cannot mean moral perfection because the bible tells us that all have sinned. None of us are perfect in that sense. The word is translated elsewhere as perfect, mature, or with integrity. It is the same idea that Jesus expressed in the Sermon on the Mount when he says "You must be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect". I think we can only accomplish that as we allow the spirit to lead us . We must make walking with God a habit, something we do because we are continually in his presence.

Notice Abram's response in verse 3, Abram fell on his face in worship. How often do we really fall on our faces in worship of a Holy God. For me I know it is seldom, what about you?