What it Means to Walk with God

I have often wondered what it might have been like to spend the day with Enoch; or to have had the opportunity to watch him from a distance. What did a typical twenty-four hours in the life of Enoch look like? What would I have seen or heard as I followed behind him? A few lines in Scripture tell us the story of this hero of a man, but one sentence in particular sums up the whole of his life: “And Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took him” (Genesis 5:24). The book of Hebrews provides more insight by explaining that Enoch did not see death and that he pleased God (Hebrews 11:5). Reading into verse six, we learn that without faith it is impossible to please God, so we can know that Enoch must have been a man of faith. But, what does it mean that Enoch walked with God? It sounds wonderful, but perhaps a little daunting; comforting, but possibly difficult at times. Worth it? I imagine that if we had asked Enoch that question as he walked out of this life and into eternity his answer would have been a resounding, “Yes!”
We find the concept of “walking” throughout Scripture. We are instructed to walk by faith, to walk worthy of the Lord, to walk by the Spirit, to walk circumspectly, and to walk in love. In the New Testament, the word “walk” is translated from the Greek word peripateo, literally meaning “to walk around” and was used in reference to the way one conducted herself, or lived her life. Likewise, in the Old Testament, the word “walk” comes from the Hebrew word halak, and can be used in a literal sense or a figurative sense depending on the context. In certain verses it refers to physical walking while in others it describes one’s manner of living. The latter sense of the word is what is found in Genesis 5:24, where we are told that Enoch walked with God. The Hebrew Lexicon further explains that the use of the word “walked” in this verse indicates a manner of living characterized by an intimate devotion, or fellowship. Simply stated, Enoch lived his life in loyalty to God. He enjoyed companionship with his Creator. He loved his Heavenly Father and spent his days cultivating a close relationship with Him. This type of “walking” involved daily, faithful obedience—and it pleased God.
What do you and I have to do to become women who daily walk with God? It begins with a choice. We have to decide everyday who we are going to follow on this life-road. It reminds me of Elijah, as he stood on Mount Carmel before the children of Israel and the prophets of the false god, Baal, and prepared for a monumental showdown of divine power. In 1 Kings 18:21, Elijah came before the Israelites and said, “How long will you falter between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him.” Elijah told them to choose, and not to waver. They could follow one or follow the other, but they could not do both. In His sermon on the Mount, Jesus told the crowd something similar when He explained that no one can serve two masters, because you’ll either love one and hate the other, or be loyal to one and despise the other (Matthew 6:24). When we choose to place our loyalty with God, we take the first step of our daily walk with Him.
Next, we need to recognize that this choice is one we recommit to every morning. Throughout the day, our hearts can be pulled in different directions as hour by hour the time passes and realities of this world compete for our attention. It takes intentional walking to remain in step with our Heavenly Father. Consider the words of David in Psalm 86:11, when he said, “Teach me Your way, O Lord, I will walk in Your truth; unite my heart to fear Your name.” The Hebrew Lexicon suggests that the word “unite” can be understood to mean “concentrate its affections.” In other words, David was asking for an undivided heart; or that he be given singleness of mind. What a beautiful request! Wouldn’t it be wonderful to begin every day with a prayer, asking God to grant you a united heart—a mind whose feelings and emotions are concentrated on Him. He will answer that prayer if we are humbling seeking to learn His ways and walk in His truth. When we rise out of bed with a heart focused on God we are setting our course for a day of walking with Him in faithful obedience.
Finally, in order to walk with God each day, we need to allow Him to be our trail guide. We need to hear Him and we need to trust that He will show us the way in which we are to walk. In Psalm 143:8, David wrote, “Cause me to hear Your lovingkindness in the morning, for in You do I trust; cause me to know the way in which I should walk, for I lift up my soul to You.” God has given us everything we need to know about how to live a godly life on the pages of the Bible. When we turn to Scripture for direction, we are turning to God to show us the way. And, as we walk along the path He has laid out for us in His Word, we will find that He is there, walking close beside us, whispering words of lovingkindness, as we find strength and comfort in His presence.
Daily walking with God is a choice; it’s a choice that is made each day and involves trusting Him to lead the way. The Bible says that Enoch didn’t see death, but God took him. I’m not sure we’ll ever fully understand what that means, but I like to imagine it this way: God loved the way Enoch lived his life in intimate devotion, full-hearted loyalty, and faithful obedience to Him. I believe the affections of Enoch’s heart were concentrated on God and not divided between God and other things in the world. I think God loved Enoch’s company, because Enoch made God a part of his day, from morning until night. Then one day, as Enoch walked with God, his divinely led footsteps took him right out of this physical place and into his eternal spiritual home where God was waiting to meet his friend face-to-face. I pray that I will be a woman who daily walks with God along the path that will lead me Home.