Lenten series #3: Enoch

Then Enoch walked with God three hundred years after he became the father of Methuselah, and he had other sons and daughters. So all the days of Enoch were three hundred and sixty-five years. Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took him. (Genesis 5:22-24 NASB)

When Enoch was 65 years old, he became acquainted with God and began to walk with Him. He walked with God 300 years, and then God took him. Frank Pollard was my pastor in the late 1970's, and he explained this story so well. He said that every day God and Enoch walked together. For three hundred years, they walked together every day, and at the end of their walk, Enoch would always say, "Well, here's my house. I'll see you tomorrow."  One day, they walked as usual and, when they got to Enoch's house, they were deep in conversation. They were having such a grand time that neither of them wanted their time to end, so God said, "Enoch, why don't you go home with Me to My house today, and he did."

Enoch's always been my favorite Bible person (other than Jesus, of course). His entire life can be summed up by the four sweetest words. He walked with God. That's it. He didn't defeat a giant, lead an army, write a book, or accumulate great riches. He didn't do any of the things that are generally considered "important", and yet God favored him so much that he was "taken" to heaven without dying. While Enoch didn't do a thing that most people consider important, he clearly did the one thing that God considered most important. He walked with God.

The story of Enoch is not the usual Lenten devotional thought, but it should be. Sin was introduced into the world when two people wanted their own way rather than to walk with God. In case you don't remember, Adam and Eve walked with God in the garden every evening until they disobeyed, then everything changed. Their story shows us the result of living our way.  Enoch's story shows us the result of living God's way. 

We are still early in the Lenten season. There is plenty of time to choose an Enoch faith walk and experience Lent in the most amazing way imaginable. You just have to do what Enoch did. Every morning, he woke up and said, "I'm going to walk with God today!" and every day that is exactly what He did. It was a decision he made on a daily basis, and one we would do well to make, too. 

What better epitaph than the one Enoch had? He walked with God. It wasn't too hard for Enoch, and it's not too hard for you. Why not start right now? Walk with God today!