“… and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.” — Ephesians 5:2
Walk with God
When a coach, athlete or fan watches their youngest child graduate from high school, it is challenging to keep the marriage flame kindled. Life is different. How does a couple stay close?
What if a husband and wife decide to take walks together? So they agree to get up an hour earlier and walk a few miles before work. It takes a few weeks to get on a schedule but gradually they start looking forward to the walk. Even though they don’t lose a lot of weight, they talk about everything under the sun while they walk. After several months, they go to the doctor less and feel better.
Long ago, Enoch lived among people who didn’t believe in God or want to spend time with God or worship God. Since he lived before trains, cars and airplanes, it’s likely that he walked on his own two feet everywhere he went. Therefore, our walk means our way of life. So Enoch made up his mind not to follow the crowd. This man looked to God for direction about his thinking, his talking and his doing. Enoch lived for God and not for himself for the majority of his life.
“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 and had other sons and daughters.” — Genesis 5:21-22
Enoch walked in harmony with God. As Enoch lived for the Lord, he urged others to do the same. Though God allows us to choose our way of life, we are better off in the long run if we listen to God.
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight.” — Proverbs 3:5-6
Since God is our Creator, He knows best and He wants us to learn to “walk by faith, not by sight” (2 Corinthians 5:7). When we look around, we see many temptations but God knows the best path to take.
When we read the Bible, pray, go to church and spend time with Christian friends, we draw closer to God and learn to live a mature and stable life. The Lord urges us to walk in love and truth: “… and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God” (Ephesians 5:2). When God sees us walking is His ways, He is pleased: “It has given me great joy to find some of your children walking in the truth, just as the Father commanded us” (2 John 1:4).
— Bill Kent, Pastor of Memorial Baptist Church, Sylvania, Ga.
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