Introduction
Relationships can be a rich blessing for everyone involved, but they also have their challenges.
What are some of the blessings which come from being in a relationship? How do those blessings make you feel?
What are some of the challenges which come from being in a relationship?
How do those challenges make you feel?
Our relationship with God has also got times of great blessings but also times of great challenges.
How does our relationship with God feel when we’re enjoying the many blessings that come from Him?
How does our relationship with God feel when we’re going through challenging times?
Footsteps
One night a man dreamed a dream. As he was walking along the beach with his Lord. Across the dark sky flashed scenes from his life. For each scene, he noticed two sets of footprints in the sand, one belonging to him and one to his Lord. After the last scene of his life flashed before him, he looked back at the footprints in the sand.
He noticed that at many times along the path of his life, especially at the very lowest and saddest times, there was only one set of footprints. This really troubled him, so he asked the Lord about it.
‘Lord, you said once I decided to follow you, You’d walk with me all the way. But I noticed that during the saddest and most troublesome times of my life, there was only one set of footprints. I don’t understand why, when I needed You the most, You would leave me.’
He whispered, ‘My precious child, I love you and will never leave you Never, ever, during your trials and testing. When you saw only one set of footprints, It was then that I carried you.’
Sadly, it’s during those challenging times, that some Christians lose sight of what the relationship was all about in the place. It’s during those challenging times that many Christians fall away because they feel that God has deserted them.
What’s the danger of relying on our feelings?
‘There is a way that appears to be right, but in the end, it leads to death. Proverbs 14:12
We all know that in any relationship our feelings can change, however, our relationship with God isn’t based on our feelings, it’s based on our faith.
‘The righteous will live by faith.’ Romans 1:17
To have fellowship with God means to walk with God. Let’s go ahead and look at one example of a man who certainly walked with God and sees what we can learn from Him, we know that Noah walked with God, Genesis 6:9, but we’re going to look at someone else who walked with God, his name is Enoch.
Now for someone who walked with God, we would think there would be lots of Bible passages written about him, but the fact is there are only a few passages which speak about Enoch.
We’re not going to look at the genealogy records, Genesis 4:17-19 / Genesis 5:18-19 / 1 Chronicles 1:3 / Luke 3:37, rather we’ll focus on three other passages of Scripture, and see what we can learn from Enoch about what having fellowship with God looks like.
‘When Enoch had lived 65 years, he became the father of Methuselah. After he became the father of Methuselah, Enoch walked faithfully with God for 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
Enoch lived during a time when mankind was at its worst, this was the time just before the flood, Genesis 6:5-8.
What challenges would have Enoch faced living in this ungodly world?
‘Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied about them: ‘See, the Lord is coming with thousands upon thousands of his holy ones to judge everyone, and to convict all of them of all the ungodly acts they have committed in their ungodliness, and of all the defiant words ungodly sinners have spoken against him.’ Jude 14-15
How did Enoch manage to maintain his walk with God amidst this ungodliness?
He Walked With God
‘Do two walk together unless they have agreed to do so?’ Amos 3:3
The word ‘together’, means that it’s an intimate companionship, it’s two people who are walking side by side, with the same purpose. Enoch certainly had that intimacy with God.
Our Walk With God, Is An Obedient Walk
‘If you love me, keep my commands.’ John 14:15
It would have been so easy to Enoch to follow the ungodly crowd in his day, but he chose to obey God in every way, Acts 5:29, why is obedience important to God?
Our Walk With God, Is A Prayerful Walk
‘Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.’ Colossians 4:2
For Enoch to walk with God, meant that he spoke with God. Prayer is all about communication with God, why is prayer important to God?
Why is prayer important to Christians?
Our Walk With God, Is A Sacrificial Walk
‘Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips that openly profess his name. And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.’ Hebrews 13:15-16
Enoch must have sacrificed his whole life to God, Jude 14-15, why is doing good and sharing with others pleasing to God?
Why is sharing the good news and telling people about Jesus’ return pleasing to God?
‘Not that I desire your gifts; what I desire is that more be credited to your account. I have received full payment and have more than enough. I am amply supplied, now that I have received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent. They are a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God.’ Philippians 4:17-18
The world in Enoch’s day was very corrupt, they spent their valuables on their own pleasures, Genesis 6:11-12, why is giving of our finances pleasing to God?
Our Walk With God, Is A Humble Walk
‘He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.’ Micah 6:8
Enoch knew who was in charge of his life, what does it mean to humbly walk with God?
When we remember Who is actually in charge, this will certainly help keep us humble, Psalm 90 / Psalm 25:9 / James 4:10 / Matthew 23:12.
Our Walk With God, Is An Enduring Walk
‘For it is commendable if someone bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because they are conscious of God. But how is it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and endure it? But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God.’ 1 Peter 2:19-20
I’m sure, just like Noah, 2 Peter 3:3-4, Enoch would have faced some trials because he chose to walk with God, do you have any examples of unjust suffering?
Why is enduring suffering important?
Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.’ James 1:4
Why is it important to allow perseverance to finish its work?
Our Walk With God, Will Be A Rewarded Walk
‘By faith, Enoch was taken from this life, so that he did not experience death: ‘He could not be found, because God had taken him away.’ For before he was taken, he was commended as one who pleased God.’ Hebrews 11:5
God knows our weaknesses and sympathises with us, Hebrews 4:15. The significance of Enoch being taken up to heaven, is that this signalled to mankind that salvation was indeed possible, that, in time, God would provide it, and that it ultimately included a victory over death.
Conclusion
Enoch walked with God, he lived his life in such a way, that he pleased God. He saw this world for what it really was and was blessed to have the ultimate fellowship with God in heaven.
