Listening to an old ‘Seekers’ CD this week brought many happy memories. I was particularly pleased to remember the old Tom Springfield song ‘Walk with me’.
Walk with me through the long and lonely night
Walk with me, and my world is filled with light
Here I stand, feeling lost and so alone
Take my hand, don’t desert me now
Please, don’t hurt me now
The metaphor of life as a journey is familiar… the state of the road, the landscape we pass through, when the lights are red, surprises we encounter, detours we make, coming to the crossroads…
The picture of walking with someone on that journey is speaks of a relationship. We meet someone on our journey; as we travel together, we get to know them, we support each other. Travelling alone is tough.
I reflect on those I’ve walked with – some for a short while, some for many years, who have made my journey easier. I’m grateful for the many people who have walked with me.
If you walk with me, though I know the road is long
I’ll get by with your love to make me strong
More by far than a guiding star above
I long for you
Walk with me, oh, my love
‘Walk with me’ is about love, love growing through travelling together. It’s about love making us strong through tough times. It’s about accepting my vulnerability as a lone traveller, learning how companionship and love can overcome feelings of loneliness and despair, and can bring encouragement, strength and confidence.
I pray for the humility to receive love well, and the strength to give love to those who walk with me.
Somewhere the sun birds fly in a clear blue sky
Only you and I there forever
Love me, leave me never
Now you’re here, and at last my life’s begun
Hold my trust, I will overcome in the morning sun
If you walk with me, though I know the road is long
I’ll get by with your love to make me strong
More by far than a guiding star above
I long for you
Walk with me, oh, my love I
‘Walk with me’ also describes my relationship with God, walking with Him each day… the metaphor is used in the Bible, it’s used in Christian songs… Just three examples:
…Genesis 5 tells us: ’Enoch walked faithfully with God; then he was no more, because God took him away.’ From the beginning of the Bible people walked faithfully with God.
…Over Easter we read Luke 24 and thought of the two disciples walking to Emmaus, ‘Jesus himself came and walked along with them’. Jesus walks with them bringing comfort to their grief and answers to their questions
…We used to sing an old hymn: ‘Oh, walk with Jesus, wouldst thou know, how deep, how wide His love can flow…’ The final verse starts: ‘Jesus, a great desire have we to walk life’s troubled path with Thee,’
‘Walk with me’ repeats the final line: ‘I long for you, walk with me oh my love.’ This is my prayer for today.
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