I. Introduction

I enjoy walking, particularly power walking. I prefer to walk on my own, as it allows me to set my own pace and maintain concentration. Some of you may enjoy walking as well, while others may love to run, play other sports where there is team involvement. Walking alone may occasionally feel solitary; therefore, it can be beneficial to observe the surroundings and acknowledge other individuals, such as fellow walkers or people working outside their homes. The Gospel of Luke and Paul's letter to the Colossians describe a way of life characterized by prayer and a sense of inner joy that is associated with following the teachings of Jesus Christ and walking with Him. Let's have a look...

II. Choose the Better Part, Jesus says.

In the Gospel of Luke, the unknown disciple asked Jesus to teach them how to pray, similar to how John taught his disciples. After Jesus concluded His prayer, He clearly left a strong impression on the disciple, both at that moment and due to previous occasions when they had observed Him pray. He would leave them and go on His own to pray for hours, which is what He needed, because He depended on God's help and guidance in what He was going to do next, whether it was to heal and perform miracles, or discern who He would elect to be His disciples. They saw the Son of God filled with the power of God as He was performing all those miracles. They saw Him filled with love and compassion for humanity.

Jesus taught the Lord's Prayer, a brief yet meaningful prayer that recognizes God's holiness and asks for God's Kingdom to come to earth. The prayer differs slightly from the version found in Matthew but maintains a strong emphasis on the principles Christ intended for prayer, focusing on fundamental needs directed towards God Almighty. After the prayer, there is a parable describing a person who visits a friend at midnight to request three loaves of bread, explaining that another visitor has arrived and there is nothing available to offer them. Jesus presents a scenario in which the friend, already in bed with his family, expresses reluctance to open the door due to the lateness of the hour. Jesus then alters the scenario, illustrating that the sleeping friend responds not solely because of their friendship, but due to the visitor's boldness and persistence in making a specific request at such a late hour, coupled with the expectation that assistance would be provided. Hospitality was a strict cultural requirement at the time. Refusing to offer hospitality was considered shameful. But what is important in this passage is the bold act and specific request to his friend that Jesus is emphasizing here. The friend responds to the request, out of the goodness of his heart, meeting the needs of the one who makes the request. Jesus proceeds to make this point that when they ask, it will be given to them, seek, they will find, knock and the door will be opened for them. Good parents will not give the child a snake when they ask for a fish, and so forth. Good parents care for their children, love them, hear and understand their needs, and provide for their needs. God, the Divine parent, is so much more than the earthly parent or the friend who helps us out. God is filled with perfect goodness and grace and hears the prayers of God's children. But more, says Christ, when we pray, God will give the Holy Spirit to those who ask. David Garland and Clinton Arnold in the Commentary on Luke write, "The Holy Spirit is the gift in answer to prayer. The Holy Spirit ‘s power is what changes our lives." When we pray, the Holy Spirit works and answers and guides and leads us to places we could not imagine. The Holy Spirit leads us to pray for one another, and answers our collective prayers, because that is the promise given to us. The Holy Spirit is the key to this walk with Christ.

III. Conclusion

Walking with Christ, as the disciples did, is a wonderful thing. It is intimate, like walking with and talking to a friend. When we walk in the fullness of Christ, tells Paul the church in Colossae, we become even more rooted in the knowledge of His will and in spiritual wisdom and understanding, like a tree planted by streams of water. Christ gives us full access to Him, and we have full access to the Holy Spirit, to live in the special realm of God's light and love and generosity, even when we go through deep waters, because the Spirit of God is with us always. The call this morning is to continue walking boldly in the fullness of Christ, so we will hear things and see things and experience life in a way no earthly power or authority can give us, because Christ is the Head over every authority and power in this world. He is a special gift to all of us, and we are called to live in the realm He lives in, the divine realm where prayer becomes a conversation and a blessing and brings us joy and fulfilment no human experience can give. In this divine realm we experience the depth and the width of God's goodness as we pray, ask, seek and knock boldly, because our Divine Parent knows exactly what we need, responding to all our needs through the power of the Holy Spirit. Let us pray for one another and work together to create a more peaceful world, following Christ's teachings and the guidance of the Holy Spirit. May God help us to take this walk with Christ and stay with Him always. Amen.