Over the summer I was on holiday with my family in Switzerland. We enjoyed a number of long hikes in the mountains. The idea of walking is a common, if not the predominant, metaphor for the Christian life in the New Testament.
It has its roots in the pilgrimage journeys of the Israelites in the Old Testament, whether through the wilderness to the Promised Land or up to Jerusalem to celebrate the festivals in the presence of God in the temple in Jerusalem.
As Christians we are on a journey to the kingdom of God, the new creation. When we reflect contextually on this Biblical metaphor we appreciate that our walk is not a stroll through a gentle English meadow, but a strenuous uphill climb through demanding terrain. Living in a technological age of cars, trains and planes we may not appreciate the full meaning of the metaphor and the realistic expectations it gives for the Christian life. Hiking in the Alps brought this home to me in a fresh way, and taught me several lessons I need to learn and relearn:
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