Where It All Begins
He had this testimony, that he pleased God.
Friend, have you ever wished you could just catch a break once in a while? Why does it always seem impossible for things to get any better? Well, I have to tell you, it’s not what you believe, but whom you believe, that really matters. Faith shows the reality of what we hope for, but hope must have an object, whether it’s tangible or intangible. Are you more inclined to wonder, “God, are you there? Do you really care what’s happening to me?” or to say “Why am I discouraged? Why is my heart so sad? I will put my hope in God!”
If you think about it, wishing for a desired outcome is not the same thing as hoping that a relationship will sustain you. What relationship? Why, your relationship with God! He is the object your hope depends upon. Don’t think it’s impossible for things to get better, that’s not faith. And without faith, it’s impossible to please God! Anyone who wants to come to God must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who sincerely seek Him. That was how a man named Enoch lived his life. He lived a long time ago, much closer to the beginning, when people remembered the first words of the Bible experientially; “In the beginning God…”
Enoch lived in such close fellowship with God that one day, he disappeared because God took him up to heaven without dying. But it all begins with God. Imagine walking in that kind of faith. Enoch looked to God daily for understanding and direction and walked in fellowship with Him. He believed that seeking God for all his wants and needs was the right way to please Him. And he knew that staying close had a far greater reward than anything he could provide for himself. Enoch had his share of struggles. He lived in an age of growing darkness and violence. But I’m convinced, that walking with God, he didn’t even notice. One day he was here, and the next, he just walked out of this world and into heaven: what a reward!
Read: Genesis 5:21-24, Psalm 42:11, Hebrews 11:5-6
Listen: The Secret Place