This catchy, upbeat song is a good one. And it has a good message too: Wherever life takes you, walk with Jesus and follow Him, because He is the only way to everlasting life.
The band Consumed by Fire is made up of the Ward brothers – Caleb, Jordan, and Josh – of Oklahoma. The band took a hiatus from the music business to help take care of the ill father. After he passed away, the Ward brothers renewed their musical careers in order to carry on their father’s legacy of sharing the Gospel message with others.
The brothers said this about this song: “If there was a song that captures the heart of our lives and our family’s decisions to do what we do (and the approach we take), it’s this song. Our why is found within this one right here. ‘Walk with Jesus’ feels like a battle anthem. There’s such a power released when the Church makes bold statements like these in one voice.”
The song’s lyrics are a little repetitive, so I didn’t include them all below. I instead broke out the main parts for analysis.
The song begins:
“So many people tryna fill a void inside. So many questions, asking how, asking why. I might not have all the answers, but I've tasted and I've seen; there's a better path with Jesus, there's no going back for me.”
The beginning of this song is so true. It has been said that everyone has a “Jesus-shaped hole” in their heart. Many try to fill this void with alcohol, drugs, sex, and a laundry list of addictions and vices. And everything that is tried – that isn’t Jesus Christ – will always leave you feeling emptier than ever.
I can’t tell you how many people I have heard asking “how” and “why” God does what He does. And I too don’t have all the answers because that would be me putting the infinite, eternal God into a finite, temporal little box. “Great is the LORD and most worthy of praise; His greatness no one can fathom.” (Psalm 145:3 ESV).
However, like the Ward brothers sang, I too have tasted and seen the goodness of God’s love, grace, mercy, and forgiveness. It is the most glorious, ongoing thing that I’ve ever experienced. And once you’ve experienced God’s love for you – and realized the narrow path to everlasting life that is only through Jesus Christ – there really is no going back.
“Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.” (Matthew 7:13-14 ESV)
You see, Jesus Christ told us the way through John’s Gospel: “Jesus answered, ‘I Am the Way and the Truth and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” (John 14:6 ESV).
The song continues:
“I'm gonna live the way He says to live, do what He says to do. You can choose whatever road you choose. But I'm gonna love the way He says to love, trust the way He says to trust. This world alone will never be enough. So I'm gonna walk with Jesus. I'm gonna walk, I'm gonna walk, I'm gonna walk with Jesus. I'm gonna walk with Jesus.”
Throughout the Old and New Testaments of Scripture – God’s holy and inspired Word – He tells us exactly what He expects of us. And that is: perfection. So, if you stop there, then all you receive is God’s Law and you will be condemned forever because we cannot achieve perfection on this side of heaven.
But thanks be to God that He had a plan of redemption before we fell into sin. And that is His Gospel.
“For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him.” (John 3:16-17 ESV)
Thanks be to God!
So, with the knowledge of what Jesus has done for us to achieve the forgiveness of our sins through His death on the cross and resurrection from the dead – and with the power of the Holy Spirit continually pressing faith upon believers and unbelievers alike in His sanctifying work of growing the Church – we have a choice. God did give us free will to choose to reject His free gift of salvation. So, if you choose to reject Him, you will not be eternally saved from the fires of hell.
But, if you choose not to reject Him, His saving grace and mercy are automatically and immediately given to you, because the work of salvation is already completed and finished. And not only does God give you this free gift, He also gives you the faith to believe it, through the Holy Spirit. Thanks be to God!
So, what are we supposed to do? Matthew recorded Jesus’ Words to His disciples (and us):
“Whoever wants to be My disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow Me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for Me will find it. What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul?” (Matthew 16:24-26 ESV)
The song concludes:
“He's in the leading, that's why I follow where He goes. He's in restoring, all the lost and broken souls. He keeps moving rich in mercy, He meets us where we are. No matter where you've gone, no such thing as 'gone too far.’”
Jesus is our perfect leader.
Paul wrote this: “Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.” (1 Corinthians 11:1 ESV).
Jesus is the ultimate restorer of lost and broken souls.
Paul wrote this: “All this is from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to Himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them.” (2 Corinthians 5:18-19a ESV).
Jesus is rich in mercy.
Paul wrote this: “Because of His great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions – it is by grace you have been saved.” (Ephesians 2:4-5 ESV).
And as the Ward brothers sang, there is truly no distance away from Jesus Christ that you could travel that you cannot be saved. So long as you draw breath here on earth, you can be saved through belief and repentance of your sin against Him. He is next to everyone, always. He will never leave, nor forsake anyone. So, all it takes is for you to stop walking AWAY from Him and you will be walking WITH Him.
Soli Deo Gloria!
Philip Frank
Please “like” and “share” this post. If you haven’t already, you should “like” and “follow” our church’s Facebook page at: facebook.com/redeemeralpinetx for more. You can also subscribe to my devotion blog at: redeemeralpinetx.com/devotions. You can also search for past devotions on that blog page.
Comments