“Enoch walked faithfully with God; then he was no more, because God took him away.” Genesis 5:24. A statement so profound, in all the Wisdom of Solomon, the military might of Caesar and the intellectual giants of history, there is no achievements in all their greatness that equates to the character that is evident by the one who walks with God. In that single statement, more can be conjectured about Enoch than all the men whom the world holds in its esteem. What is so exceptional about walking with God that resulted in the individual being taken away? Walking with God requires an intimate understanding of God and his desires. It requires a submissive heart that places the will of God above their own. It is the pinnacle of an individual’s faith whereby their thoughts closely matches that of God; an understanding that requires no further clarification or explanation. It closely models two friends who are emerged in their conversation that they have no concern for anything else that might be transpiring. In fact, the Bible only specifically mentions two individuals by which the phrase “walked with God” is used and it is never used in the same context and intimacy as it is used for Enoch.
I believe there are three stages to our walk with God. First, we walk before God as children; eager to learn and try new things. It is the critical period where we discover God and establish a framework by which we approach Him with petitions and praise. Next, we walk after God as His servants. This is the stage where the individual recognizes the voice of God and responds appropriately. It is a stage that is represented by service and sacrifice; when we learn to concern ourselves with the needs of others and act purely for their benefit without ulterior motives. Thirdly, we walk with God as His friends and as previously described, it is the most intimate stage of relationship with God and the ultimate destination for any that profess themselves as Christian.
While I was in college, God put in my heart the passage regarding Enoch’s walk with God. As I read all the passages concerning that topic and wondering about all the implications that had on an individual, God opened my eyes for a week and showed me what it feels like to walk with Him. Due to my imperfection, I was not able to maintain that walk for more than a week; however, God’s reassurance was that if I continue to seek and grow in Him, I will one day reestablish that walk. That week was perhaps the greatest week in my entire life. I saw the world by which God viewed it; able to discern the brokenness and shame that prevents people from truly experiencing the joys and peace resulting from their relationship with their Creator. It was a week filled with an intimate relationship with God which brought forth contentment and great joys. Why was I unable to maintain my walk furthermore? Because at the depths of my heart, my desires were worldly. I didn’t fully appreciate God’s love and mercy in such a way as to merit the intimacy and joys that were part of walking with God. My heart needed to be refined further and my desires needed to be mended to reflect God’s holiness. God’s reassurance gave me comfort and motivation to seek Him continually and I understood that God understands us in our imperfection. He knows our struggles and obstacles that are a hindrance to our relationship with Him and is continuously working to refine and purify the substance that is our character. God wants all of us to experience an intimate relationship with Him, to walk with Him and He so desires to be our companion and friend, but the commitment is difficult. It requires sacrifice and occasionally trusting in God when everything looks bleak or hopeless. But through the struggles, we grow closer to God and understand the suffering that God experiences as a result of sin. It is by overcoming our struggles with God do we understand who He is and have the spiritual maturity to merit our walk with God.