Sometimes you just have to turn away from the past and walk forward in life one day at a time.”
–Kenneth Pratt (The Wolves of Windsor Ridge)
“Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers.”
–Psalm 1:1 (ESV)
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“And Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took him.”
–Genesis 5:24(NKJV)
What does it mean to “walk with God”? Hebrews 11:5 gives a little light on this, “By faith Enoch was taken away so that he did not see death, and was not found, because God had taken him, before he was taken he had this testimony, that he pleased God.” (NKJV) Walking with God means walking in faith; it means walking in fellowship and obedience.
“When we walk with the Lord
In the Light of His Word
What a glory He sheds on our way…”
–J.H. Sammis
Walking with the Lord means to walk in the light of His Word. “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path” (Psalm 119:105) We must stay in and obey the Word of God if we are to walk with Him. And, perhaps, there is more implied, for it is Jesus who is the Light of the world. John Piper states, “Part of the whole process of walking in God’s call is the active engagement of our will in resolving to do righteousness.”
Enoch was in fellowship and cooperation with God. It is impossible to walk with someone unless you are going the same way they are. Enoch had to be going in the same direction God was. Something else we must consider here is Enoch was living in that perverse time before the Flood. “Imagine how difficult it must have been to walk with God during those years before the flood, when vice and violence were prevalent and only a remnant of people believed God” (Wiersbe). Imagine Enoch out walking with God, then put yourself in the same place walking with Him, and as Ray Stedman puts it, “A walk is a series of steps taken day, after day, after day, after day, with God”.
As we walk this road, and at times it does get wearisome, often God will send someone to walk it with us along the way. Note, people can walk with you, but they cannot walk it for you! The words of this old song come to mind. It is considered traditional, but it was first published by Woodie Guthrie.
“You gotta walk that lonesome valley,
You gotta walk it by yourself,
Nobody here can walk it for you,
You gotta walk it by yourself.
There’s a road that leads to glory
Through a valley far away,
Nobody else can walk it for you,
They can only point the way.”
So many thoughts were going through my mind the other night when I was thinking about walking with the Lord. It is a daily walk, step by step, and ongoing. Thoughts were flitting, so maybe later we’ll take another look at walking, but take one more look at Enoch. Stedman notes this, “Enoch’s life is a testimony to us, that if we walk with God we shall not see death; that the answer to barrenness, drabness and dullness is this daily stepping out by faith on the promises of God; this daily testing of His promises of His presence, and reckoning upon them.” God is there as you walk through this world, and He is taking each step with you. So think of those words by Kenneth Morris:
“Just a closer walk with Thee, Grant it Jesus, is my plea;
Daily walking close to Thee, Let it be, dear Lord, let it be.”
———————————-
“And Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took him.”
–Genesis 5:24(NKJV)
What does it mean to “walk with God”? Hebrews 11:5 gives a little light on this, “By faith Enoch was taken away so that he did not see death, and was not found, because God had taken him, before he was taken he had this testimony, that he pleased God.” (NKJV) Walking with God means walking in faith; it means walking in fellowship and obedience.
“When we walk with the Lord
In the Light of His Word
What a glory He sheds on our way…”
–J.H. Sammis
Walking with the Lord means to walk in the light of His Word. “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path” (Psalm 119:105) We must stay in and obey the Word of God if we are to walk with Him. And, perhaps, there is more implied, for it is Jesus who is the Light of the world. John Piper states, “Part of the whole process of walking in God’s call is the active engagement of our will in resolving to do righteousness.”
Enoch was in fellowship and cooperation with God. It is impossible to walk with someone unless you are going the same way they are. Enoch had to be going in the same direction God was. Something else we must consider here is Enoch was living in that perverse time before the Flood. “Imagine how difficult it must have been to walk with God during those years before the flood, when vice and violence were prevalent and only a remnant of people believed God” (Wiersbe). Imagine Enoch out walking with God, then put yourself in the same place walking with Him, and as Ray Stedman puts it, “A walk is a series of steps taken day, after day, after day, after day, with God”.
As we walk this road, and at times it does get wearisome, often God will send someone to walk it with us along the way. Note, people can walk with you, but they cannot walk it for you! The words of this old song come to mind. It is considered traditional, but it was first published by Woodie Guthrie.
“You gotta walk that lonesome valley,
You gotta walk it by yourself,
Nobody here can walk it for you,
You gotta walk it by yourself.
There’s a road that leads to glory
Through a valley far away,
Nobody else can walk it for you,
They can only point the way.”
So many thoughts were going through my mind the other night when I was thinking about walking with the Lord. It is a daily walk, step by step, and ongoing. Thoughts were flitting, so maybe later we’ll take another look at walking, but take one more look at Enoch. Stedman notes this, “Enoch’s life is a testimony to us, that if we walk with God we shall not see death; that the answer to barrenness, drabness and dullness is this daily stepping out by faith on the promises of God; this daily testing of His promises of His presence, and reckoning upon them.” God is there as you walk through this world, and He is taking each step with you. So think of those words by Kenneth Morris:
“Just a closer walk with Thee, Grant it Jesus, is my plea;
Daily walking close to Thee, Let it be, dear Lord, let it be.”