Bella Vista Church of Christ
LIFELINES
Sept 11, 2002 Jared Dockery
Walking With God
It was said of two ancient men, Enoch and Noah, that they walked with God. (Gen. 5.24 & 6.9) That too should be our desire. What is involved in walking with God?
First, we must let him pick the route.
We do a bad job of picking our own way, anyway. "There is a way which seems right to a man," Solomon informs us, "But its end is the way of death." (Prov. 14.12) The way that God has chosen is not easy; Jesus said it is narrow and hard to find. But thankfully, God has left us His Word to guide our feet and light our path. (Psalm 119.105)
Second, we must avoid distractions.
I am reminded of Robert Frost's delightful poem, in which a young lad is temporarily mesmerized by the sight of snow falling in dark woods and stops his horse to watch. "The woods are lovely, dark and deep," sighs the boy, "but I have promises to keep, and miles to go before I sleep, and miles to go before I sleep." The point is, we won't get to our destination as long as we are stopped and staring off into the woods! Obviously sin can distract us from our walk with the Lord (the Hebrews writer speaks of "the sin which so easily entangles us" in 12.1), but we can also be distracted by things which aren't evil. Martha let the noble task of preparing Jesus' supper distract her from the even more noble task of feeding on His Words.
Third, we must progress.
Movement is not enough; what is needed is movement forward. God expects us to grow as Christians. "Therefore leaving the elementary teaching about the Christ," the Hebrews writer exhorts, "let us press on to maturity…" (6.1) God's walk is not just aimless wandering; there is a destination involved. We must be moving ever nearer that goal.
Fourth, we must endure.
Anyone can start a marathon; few can finish. God is looking for finishers. Paul could exult, at the end of his life, that he had finished the course. (2 Timothy 4.8) The King James' rendering of Galatians 6.9 is beautiful: "And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not."
Fifth, we must borrow God's strength.
The truth of the matter is that the way is TOO hard, the distractions TOO tempting, the distance TOO great, for us to succeed on our own. But God, in His grace and His patience, is eager to help. "He gives strength to the weary, and to him who lacks might He increases power," Isaiah promised. "Though youths grow weary and tired, and vigorous young men stumble badly, yet those who wait for the Lord will gain new strength; they will mount up with wing like eagles…" (40.29-31)
At the end of our lives, if it can be truly said that we
walked with God, what else will need to be said?
JARED DOCKERY
