January 03, 2017
""Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his time; Noah walked with God."" (Genesis 6:9)
It is rare. But always, in every generation, there are men and women who ""walk with God."" They are the exceptions, because ""broad is the road that leads to destruction and many are those who find it; and narrow is the road that leads to life, and few are those who find it.""
But there are some who chose to walk with God. And you can be counted among them. “God shows no caprice or favoritism,” J. Oswald Sanders said. “You are as close to God as you really chose to be.”
But what does such a life entail?
WALKING
... implies movement. It is not stagnant. It indicates that something happens continually and daily. It is not a momentary experience, but habitual lifestyle. Noah was not perfect in his walk, but it must have been the common experience of Noah to be following the movement and activity of God.
To walk means that you must stay up. You cannot lag behind in disobedience, or turn away in rebellion, or sit down in bitterness or unbelief. Walking requires the moment-by-moment decision to go where God is going, wherever and whenever God moves. A deliberate, continual choice to believe in God's will and follow His prompting. To draw near to Him.
You cannot follow your own agenda and walk with God. You do not make your own decisions as to direction, for your singular decision is to accept His direction. Jesus defined it in two words: ""Follow Me.""
WITH GOD
But this walk is not with just anyone. If you are married, you walk with your wife through the course of your marriage. A child walks with his parents. Business associates walk with each other in their work life.
But Noah walked with God. The Almighty was his constant Companion. What would such a walk provide with such a Divine Leader?
You would know His presence and fellowship. His encouragement and counsel. His gentle but clear reproof and perfect correction. You would be trained in righteousness, thoroughly adequate for every good work.
You would be wiser than your enemies for surely God knows more than anyone or anything, and you are beside Him ... hearing His words and gaining His wisdom. You would be taught by the Perfect Teacher.
You would find yourself in the right place at the right time doing the right thing. For those who delight in what God says and stay up with Him are like a “tree planted by rivers of living water that brings forth its fruit in due season; his leaf will not wither and whatever he does will prosper.”
You would be covered with Almighty protection for He is your shield and buckler. What could you possibly fear? Who is there to harm you if you are standing beside the Lion of the tribe of Judah? His mighty shoulders towering above you? His arm around you? His eyes staring down your enemies?
Every need would be provided. He would lead you, as your Shepherd, into green pastures and beside still waters. He would restore your soul. He would provide a meal for you in the presence of your enemies. Your cup would run over.
You would be increasingly liberated from sin's intrusion for if you ""walk by the Spirit you will not fulfill the lusts of the flesh,"" Paul promised (Galatians 5:16).
It is the best life. How could anything be greater, or more advantageous, or sweeter than a lifetime of walking with your Creator, Sustainer, Savior, and Friend?
INTO ETERNITY
It was said of Enoch, Noah's great-grandfather that ""Enoch walked with God' and he was not, for God took him"" (Genesis 5:24). There comes that day when you are closer to your eternal home than to your earthly rental. And you simply walk with him through ""the valley of the shadow of death."" He is with you and there is no fear. For you are one of the blessed ones who walks with God.
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