4 Minute Read

Prepare Your Heart

To the best of your ability, get rid of all distractions. Take a few minutes to breathe deeply and quiet yourself in the Lord’s presence. Then, ask the Lord to speak to you in this time. Let Him know that you will listen and make whatever adjustments He will reveal to you.

Read God’s Word

Genesis 6-8
Matthew 2:16-3:17

A Verse for Today

Slowly and reflectively read the following verse(s) and listen to what God will say to you through His written Word. Consider writing down any insights He reveals to you.

Genesis 6:8-9 (CSB): “Noah, however, found favor with the LORD. These are the family records of Noah. Noah was a righteous man, blameless among his contemporaries; Noah walked with God.”

Reflecting on God’s Word

I don’t know about you, but when I read that Noah “walked with God,” I crave to go deeper into that experience. The God of all creation has made Himself known to us and invites us into a soul-satisfying relationship with Him.

But realize that there is a God-side of this relationship, and there is our side of this relationship. God’s side is mentioned in verse 8, where it says: “Noah … found favor with the LORD.” Our responsibility is mentioned in verse 9, where it says: “Noah was a righteous man, blameless among his contemporaries.”

So, if we want to enjoy the moments of our day with our God, then we must: 1) rely upon His grace and favor to make Himself known to us, 2) while we do our part in the relationship (pursue Him as we obey Him).

Men, I want to talk with just you for a moment. We’ll bring the ladies back into this discussion in a couple of paragraphs.

Don’t come to the erroneous conclusion that because of all the “relationship talk,” this is for ladies. The larger-than-life MEN of the Bible wanted to walk with Him, too! King David, who bravely protected his sheep by killing a lion and bear with his two hands, often talked about wanting to know and enjoy His God (Psalm 42:1-2). The Apostle Paul, who courageously faced beatings, whippings, stonings, and other brutal tortures for talking about Jesus, spoke of how badly he wanted to know Jesus more (Philippians 3:7-11). So, don’t think desiring to walk with God is just for the ladies. It’s for manly men, too.

So, as we conclude, let’s highlight some activities that can enable us to “walk with God,” to enjoy God in the moments of each day?

First of all, do you desire to enjoy your God? Then pursue Him with everything you’ve got!

Jeremiah 29:13 (CSB): “You will seek me and find me when you search for me with all your heart.”

Then consider engaging in these next activities…

• Daily Bible study (not just casual reading)
• A commitment to obey God’s Word
• Daily prayer time
• Immediate confession and repentance when we sin
• Consciously living in the forgiveness and cleansing promised in 1 John 1:9
• Moment-by-moment depending upon the Holy Spirit for everything we need
• Moment-by-moment living with a conscious awareness of God’s presence

Spend Time in Prayer

Lord Jesus, I know in my heart that there has got to be more to following You than what I’m experiencing. My heart is hungry and thirsty, and I sometimes attempt to satisfy it with other things. But I want to begin chasing after You again. You say in Jeremiah 29:13 that I will find You when I seek You with all my heart. So, as I resolve this moment to walk with You, I ask that You give me the grace I need to stay the course until I am enjoying a relationship with You that You always intended for me. I pray this in Your Name, Amen.

Going Deeper

Just as an athlete cannot enjoy the thrill of excelling in competitions until they have spent years in training, so we cannot expect to enjoy the fullness of God’s presence until we spend time in the spiritual gym and workout. A great book that will help you on this journey is Don Whitney’s book, “Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life.” Consider purchasing and devouring it.

Matt Ellis is the pastor of First Baptist Church in Polk City, Florida (fbcpolkcity.com).

Photo by Wojciech Then on Unsplash