Scripture
And [in reverent fear and obedience] Enoch walked with God; and he was not [found among men], because God took him [away to be home with Him]. Genesis 5:24
Observation
This passage makes me jealous. I want to walk like Enoch. I want to be so at home in my daily walk with God that there’s no distance between us. Something happened with the birth of Methuselah that moved Enoch from knowing about God to knowing God intimately. When he named his son, “When he is dead, it will come” Enoch was prophesying the coming judgement of the flood in Noah’s day. Perhaps this wake up call to Enoch was the catalyst for repentance and change in his own life? Jude 14-16 gives us insight here, “14Enoch, who lived in the seventh generation after Adam, prophesied about these people. He said, “Listen! The Lord is coming with countless thousands of his holy ones 15to execute judgment on the people of the world. He will convict every person of all the ungodly things they have done and for all the insults that ungodly sinners have spoken against him.” 16These people are grumblers and complainers, living only to satisfy their desires. They brag loudly about themselves, and they flatter others to get what they want.” With the birth of his son he saw the second coming of the Son of God and knew that he had to leave behind the grumbling, complaining, and selfish desires to find His everything in the One who made him. This decision was not just for himself but for the children he was raising. Hebrews 11:5 tells us that it was the faith of Enoch that pleased God. Faith in a faithless generation. Faith that God would carry out what He said he would do. If I want to walk like Enoch and grow in intimacy with God in 2024 it’s going to require a deeper faith.
Application
Intimacy with God, clarity about what I need to repent of, certainty of Christ’s soon return seem to be a good ways to start this new year. Enoch reminds me that my walk of faith doesn’t just affect me, but those around me. I want my boys to see a man who is NOT living off of the intimacy of last year, but is pressing in to walk even closer with God. Enoch reminds me that soon and immanent return of King Jesus needs to inform my daily choices. Thanks to the indwelling Holy Spirit I know the conviction, but will I respond with repentance? When Jesus described the coming of The Holy Spirit He said, “When He comes, He will convict the world about sin, righteousness, and judgment: concerning sin, because they do not believe in Me; concerning righteousness, because I am going to the Father and you will no longer see Me; and concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world has been judged.”(Jn. 16:8-11) Confession and consecration are earmarks of a walk like Enoch’s.
Prayer
This is not just a new year’s prayer of temporary enthusiasm, but rather a longing for permanent change. Enoch walked in habitual daily fellowship with You Jesus. His persistent pursuit of Your presence revealed every other thing the world had to offer as a sorry substitute and counterfeit for You. You are the only One who can satisfy. Instead of looking to satisfy my own desires, I long to satisfy the desires of Your heart. You reveal Your heart for this world in that You allowed Methuselah to live almost a thousand years to give every person a chance to repent before the flood and judgment came. You delaying Your return for the same reason. Let me walk with You like Enoch and invite everyone I know to join me in the journey of a lifetime!
Comments