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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 4-5
Matthew 2:1-15

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 5:21-24 (CSB): “Enoch was 65 years old when he fathered Methuselah. And after he fathered Methuselah, Enoch walked with God 300 years and fathered other sons and daughters. So Enoch’s life lasted 365 years. Enoch walked with God; then he was not there because God took him.

Reflecting on God’s Word

What in the world does it mean to “walk with God?” Because that phrase shows up twice in Genesis 5, both of which refer to Enoch.

And since Enoch is the only one in Genesis 5 that God took to Heaven prematurely, we assume that God wanted to enjoy an even better relationship with Him. So, the fact that “Enoch walked with God” in this life seems pretty significant.

Let’s look at another place in Genesis where the phrase “walked with God” is also used.

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

So, did Enoch and Noah actually take walks with God (Jesus) the same way Adam and Eve probably did? Did they walk with God just as the two disciples on the Emmaus road walked with Jesus (Luke 24:13-35)?

It’s possible. But we don’t have any accounts of Enoch or Noah actually taking walks with God in the flesh (Jesus). So, it probably means something else.

This appears to mean that they lived in such close fellowship with God that they had a clear sense of His presence, enjoyed Him, and obeyed what they believed He was calling them to do.

What would it be like if we strived to live like this?

What would it be like if we lived with a conscious awareness that Jesus was walking through the day with us?

What would it be like if, instead of offering our prayers up to the heavens above us, we prayed to the God who is with us each moment of the day?

What would it be like if we shared each moment of our day with Him, frequently asking for things like wisdom, courage, tenacity, and other things, as well as expressing our gratitude?

What would it be like if we knew in our heart of hearts that we needed Him each moment and lived with a conscious dependence upon Him?

That, my friend, is what it means to walk with God. It is living each moment with Him, enjoying Him, submitting to Him, and obeying Him.

Spend Time in Prayer

  • Ask God to help you listen to Him as you read His Word. He wants to speak to you.
  • Ask God to help you realize that your prayers are the incense of Heaven (Revelation 5:8), and He delights to hear from you.
  • Ask God to forgive you of any sins that would keep you from experiencing and enjoying Him.
  • Thank Him for making salvation so much more than merely obeying rules; it’s about knowing Him (John 17:3) and enjoying Him (Psalm 16:11).
  • Ask God to give you a desire for Him and a delight in Him when He does.

Going Deeper

If you want to dig a little deeper into what it means to walk with God, consider reading the following GotQuestions article:

“What does it mean to walk with God?”

Sharing

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