This past weekend, I had the opportunity to visit with one of my brothers. We had a wonderful discussion involving the Bible and other spiritual matters. I realized just recently how much I enjoy these types of conversations. I only wish I had discovered this joy much sooner in my life. Nonetheless, I do love to learn from others as we share our thoughts together.
Our talk touched on several topics and my niece joined in on parts of the conversation. Prayer is one of my favorite subjects as of late. Being part of a prayer group has helped my spiritual growth in so many ways! I suppose that is a large part of the reason, I like to talk about prayer so much.
My brother and I agreed that one can learn a lot about prayer from
observing the relationships some of the Old Testament characters had with
God. Consider, for example, Abraham’s
plea with God to save Sodom and Gomorrah.
Abraham did not want God to destroy a whole town because of the
righteous who might dwell there; even if it were only a few. He asked God to save the town if a certain
number of good men could be found there.
Abraham started with 50 to which God agreed. Then he continued to bargain down from that
number until he got to only ten. God was
longsuffering with Abraham during this conversation. He tells him He will not destroy the cities
if He finds even 10 righteous people dwelling in them.
It is amazing to think about the relationship these characters had
with our Creator. They spoke with Him as
if they actually knew Him. Abraham
actually negotiated with God in an effort to save his nephew. He asks again and again – each time
bargaining with a lesser number.
Another character my brother mentioned is Moses. He also seemed to have a certain bravado in
speaking to the Heavenly Father on behalf of the Israelites. Exodus 32: 31-32 says: “And Moses returned
unto the Lord, and said, Oh, this people have sinned a great sin, and have made
them gods of gold. Yet now, if thou wilt
forgive their sin—; and if not, blot me, I pray thee, out of thy book which
thou hast written.” Whew! That seems to me like some pretty serious
stuff. Can you imagine having the kind
of relationship that Moses had with our Heavenly Father to tell him that? I suppose Moses had full confidence in the
love God had for Him. By now, Moses had
developed a strong and very close relationship with the Lord.
Other Bible characters were mentioned as we continued to talk about
God’s relationship with man. We talked
about how Adam and Eve had walked in the Garden with God. How wonderful that must have been! We also mentioned Enoch. Do you remember him? Not much is said about Enoch in the Bible;
but what is said is very significant. Adam’s genealogy is given in Genesis 5. Enoch is the sixth generation from Adam and
if my math is correct Adam was still alive when Enoch was born. I know that does not necessarily mean that
Adam and Enoch knew each other.
Sometimes I get curious about such things.
As stated earlier, we know from the early chapters of Genesis that
Adam and Eve perhaps had the most intimate relationship with God than any other
human beings. He visited them in the Garden of Eden and even
after their fall, God made clothes for them.
We know the Heavenly Father loved Adam and Eve. All that being said, I am curious to know if
Enoch knew Adam. Perhaps he talked with
him about what it was like to actually speak to God and walk with him in the
Garden. We are not told these things –
we can only ponder what might have happened (if anything) between the two men.
What we are told about Enoch is found in Genesis 5:21 – 24: “And Enoch lived sixty and five years, and
begat Methuselah: And Enoch walked with
God after he begat Methuselah three hundred years and begat sons and daughters:
And all the days of Enoch were three hundred and sixty five years: And Enoch
walked with God: and he was not; for God took him.”
The man is mentioned in just a few verses here, and in Hebrews
11:5. Yet what we are told in these few
scriptures is quite remarkable. First of
all, in that lineage of Adam – only Enoch is mentioned as actually “walking
with God.” As if to emphasize the fact –
the Holy Spirit tells us twice that Enoch walked with God. Then he was not for God took him. How awesome is that? God took Enoch without him seeing death. I have decided if such things will be
possible, that one person I want to meet is Enoch. I would love to know the sort of man who “walked
with God” so closely.
Read the wonderful words spoken of Enoch in Hebrews 11:5 – “By
faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found
because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this
testimony, that he pleased God.” What a
wonderful testimony to have! How great
would it be to be known as one who pleased God?!!!
Oh but we must notice something else and perhaps this is the most
important thing of all. Enoch did not
just obtain this testimony by accident as someone who accidentally runs into a
door when he doesn’t look where he is going.
Enoch knew where he was going and who he was going along with. He walked with God remember. He sought to please God. He strongly and earnestly desired a
relationship with His creator.
How do I know that? Read the
next verse in Hebrews 11 and it will all come together for us. Verse 6 says, “But without faith it is
impossible to please Him, (Enoch had faith for he pleased God) for he that
cometh to God (if Enoch walked with God, he came to him, right) must believe
that HE is and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him.” Well, there you have it. Enoch was rewarded beautifully. He believed that God is – He believed that
God would reward Him. He sought God –
diligently. Enoch took seeking God very
seriously. He wanted to walk with Him –
to be with Him and that pleased the Heavenly Father. What a wonderful, loving and faithful man
Enoch must be!
Now we can bring that all home to ourselves. God loves us too. He wants to be with us; but He wants us to
seek Him first. This is not a part time
thing. It involves a daily walk – daily –
all day, every day walking with Him.
Imagine being His little child and holding His hand. God IS.
He really is. And if we seek Him,
if we want to come to Him, we must believe that He will reward us. Heaven will be our home just like it is Enoch’s
home. Knowing that my friends is what
makes life’s journey worthwhile!
Christ above all
things,
Robin
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