With God by Mike DeCamp

With God

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.  Altogether, Enoch lived a total of 365 years.  Enoch walked faithfully with God; then he was no more, because God took him away.  Genesis 5:21-24

The verse above has always intrigued me.  It strums on my curiosity strings.  How cool must that have been?  What would it be like to actually ‘walk with God’?  What is it like when God just takes a person away?  Where exactly did Enoch go?

To walk WITH God.

Wouldn’t that be cool?

 Let’s say you’re on the beach…strolling the warm sands with the breeze in your hair…alone…thinking of life and love; the future and the past…suddenly, there at your side…you glance over…it’s God.

Maybe you’re hiking a mountain trail…sweat streaking down the sides of your face…your thighs are on fire from the exertion…you’re bent forward…leaning into the climb…contemplating the meaning of your life…why are you here?...what are you supposed to be doing?...you glance up…just ahead…there’s God.

Wouldn’t it be cool?  Wouldn’t it be awesome?

Apparently Enoch did just that.

It seems that God enjoyed that relationship so much that one day he just looked at Enoch and said:  “Come WITH me.”

Away they went.  Away they still are.  Enoch is still walking…WITH God.

I think from my youngest days I’ve always wanted to be close to God.  I’ve always wanted to talk to God.  I can remember looking up into the sky, watching the clouds roll over my head, and asking God to open up the heavens so I could see Him.

Have you ever felt that way? 

Think back to your days of innocence, those days before the messes of life cluttered your heart and your mind.  Remember when you simply yearned for the wonders of God.  In those days, it almost seemed possible…right?…maybe He would just sit on the other end of the teeter totter and bounce up and down with you.  Maybe.

But, isn’t that the promise we have?

Isn’t that what we have to look forward to? 

A future WITH God.  A home with the Creator.  An easy meander down the Main Street of the New Jerusalem next to our Friend.  Do we believe that is really in our future?

“Do not let your hearts be troubled.  You believe in God; believe also in me.  My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you?  And If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be WITH me that you also may be where I am.  You know the way to the place where I am going.”  John 14:1-4

The way?  Which way?

THE way.  The WAY!

“I am the way and the truth and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through me.  If you really know me, you will know my Father as well.”  John 14:6-7

All of history has been orchestrated by God in order to give us a path…a road…a way to lead us to be WITH Him.  That path is found in Jesus…the Christ…the Savior…the Way.

FAITHFULNESS.

…Enoch walked faithfully with God 300 years and had other sons and daughters.  Genesis 5:22 

Enoch walked “faithfully” with God here on earth, so God took him.  If we are faithful friends here…we will be brought in faith to be friends there. 

Here’s the thing…to WALK faithfully means to be doing faithful things.  It is an active faith.  You may not be able to walk perfectly, but you must walk faithfully….and faithfully walk.

“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.  Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.  And surely I am WITH you always, to the very end of the age.”  Matthew 28:18b-20

I’d love to be out on my bike for a ride in the country some Saturday morning…the sun on my shoulders…the wind at my back…then, have another rider pedal up beside me…and as I look over, I realize…it’s God!  Oh man!  How incredible.  I really cannot describe the feelings that would explode in my heart and mind!  But, in reality, HE is WITH me…and you…already.  If we are walking faithfully in Christ, he is at our side…surely, and to the end of the age.

I don’t know all the intricacies of walking WITH God.  The men of Southeastern are going to explore those things in our upcoming Men’s Advance in September, but in reality, we will always be finding more ways…more trails…more country roads…more avenues…more walks of life…where we can be WITH God.  When we are at work…when we are in the car…when we are at a restaurant…when we are alone…when we are in a crowd…on Sunday morning…on Friday night. 

We are never alone…when we are With God.

 

MEN:  I encourage you to sign up for and participate in the upcoming Men’s Advance to be held on September 27-28, 2013 at the Spring Hill Camp in Seymour, Indiana.  This will be a great opportunity to better understand what it means to be WITH GOD.  The cost is $30.  Sign up in the foyer, or call the church office and ask them to put your name on the list.