Walk With God
When Enoch had lived 65 years, he became the father of Methuselah. After he became the father of Methuselah, Enoch walked faithfully with God 300 years. Enoch walked faithfully with God; then he was no more because God took him away. Genesis 5:21-22,24
One of my neighbors waved as she and her dog passed by and called out, “I love these cooler days so Scout and I can enjoy longer walks together.” I couldn’t help but smile as I watched them turn the conner and continue on their way.
That encounter made me think about a famous walk that that happened a very long time ago with a man named Enoch and God. From scripture we learn that he was the great-grandfather of Noah. Of even greater importance, we are told that Enoch pleased God so much that he is only one of two people we know of who were "taken" to Heaven without dying. So, what was it about Enoch that allowed him to find such favor with God and what can we learn from his life? Put another way, how can we walk faithfully with God?
First, we can see that what's most important isn't when you start your walk, but that you start. It appears that Enoch did not begin his relationship with God until he was 65. And that gives me so much hope! When I see men and women of faith mentioned in the Bible, their relationship with God can seem unattainable at times. And yet, God in His mercy, shows us over and over again that no one, besides Jesus, ever was or ever will be perfect. It is never too late to have a relationship with the Lord.
Hebrews 11:5 says, "...he (Enoch) was known as a person who pleased God. And it is impossible to please God without faith." If we truly want to walk with God, we have to put Him first. To intentionally think about pleasing Him more than others. To choose Him and His Kingdom more than the things of Earth. And it's not easy. It takes courage and strength that only He can give. Our faith in Him must be greater than our faith in the people and things of this world. It's a choice we all have to make, sometimes week by week, day by day, or even minute by minute.
"Anyone who wants to come to Him must believe that God exists and that He rewards those who sincerely seek Him." Hebrews 11:6. How do we sincerely seek Him? Perhaps it means we look for Him in every situation. We call on His name when we are in need. We listen for His voice above all others and wait expectantly to hear Him. We stay close enough to do all of those things by spending time in His Word and prayer. We choose Him and His ways over ourselves. And we do it because the ultimate desire of our hearts is to know Him more. Not for anything we would receive but because we truly want to be with Him more than anyone else. We stay on the road with Him.
Sincerely seeking Jesus is hard. But thankfully, the Lord knows our hearts. And He loves us so very much that though we may run ahead or fall behind or even choose a different road some days, we can always get back in step with Him, as His Holy Spirit guides us.
Jesus, thank You for Your grace and mercy. Please keep us in step with You, every day. Give us the strength to block out the distractions of this world, listen for Your voice, and trust that You continue to walk faithfully with us all of our days.