Surely, the LORD is in This Place, and I Did Not Know It…

Then he dreamed, and behold, a ladder was set up on the earth, and its top reached to heaven; and there the angels of God were ascending and descending on it. And behold, the LORD stood above it and said: "I am the LORD God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac; the land on which you lie I will give to you and your descendants. Also your descendants shall be as the dust of the earth; you shall spread abroad to the west and the east, to the north and the south; and in you and in your seed all the families of the earth shall be blessed. Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land; for I will not leave you until I have done what I have spoken to you." Then Jacob awoke from his sleep and said, "Surely the LORD is in this place, and I did not know it."  And he was afraid and said, "How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven!" Then Jacob rose early in the morning, and took the stone that he had put at his head, set it up as a pillar, and poured oil on top of it. And he called the name of that place Bethel; but the name of that city had been Luz previously. Then Jacob made a vow, saying, "If God will be with me, and keep me in this way that I am going, and give me bread to eat and clothing to put on, so that I come back to my father's house in peace, then the LORD shall be my God.--Genesis 28:12-21

Dear Suzanne, Rebecca, Anna, and Mikayla,

Here we find Jacob sleeping under the stars, fleeing his brother Esau's wrath and fearing for his life.  I am pretty sure he is filled with anxiety and much uncertainty.  He has no idea what his future holds and cannot go back into the past.  Trouble was behind him...he had to go forward.  Sometimes our thoughts, like Jacob, get so consumed by our circumstances that we forget this.  BUT GOD.  While Jacob slept that night God gave him a vision and a promise.

The vision was the ladder reaching from heaven to earth with the angels ascending and descending.  Reading John 1:43 -51 this vision is clarified.

The following day Jesus wanted to go to Galilee, and He found Philip and said to him, "Follow Me." Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. Philip found Nathanael and said to him, "We have found Him of whom Moses in the law, and also the prophets, wrote—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph."  And Nathanael said to him, "Can anything good come out of Nazareth?" Philip said to him, "Come and see." Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward Him, and said of him, "Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom is no deceit!" Nathanael said to Him, "How do You know me?" Jesus answered and said to him, "Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you." Nathanael answered and said to Him, "Rabbi, You are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!" Jesus answered and said to him, "Because I said to you, 'I saw you under the fig tree,' do you believe? You will see greater things than these."  And He said to him, "Most assuredly, I say to you, hereafter you shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man." 

Jesus is declaring here that the ladder that figured in Jacob's dream...the ladder that reached heaven where God met man was Jesus Himself.  Jesus is the ladder that brings man to God.  He is the bridge between heaven and earth.  He is the way, the truth and the life...no one comes to the Father except through Him.  

The promise Jacob received that night:

Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land; for I will not leave you until I have done what I have spoken to you."  

God would bring Jacob through and bring him back to his father's house in peace. 

Jacob's words upon awakening... 

"Surely the LORD is in this place, and I did not know it."  And he was afraid and said, "How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven!"

Like Jacob, we so forget that our Lord...our great God is in all our trials when we believe.  We forget that Hs presence goes with us and is before us always.  We forget that He is God and has promised not to leave us or forsake us.  He will do all that He has promised in our lives and will bring us home to Him when the work is complete. 

God not only allows the trials that come to us, but orchestrates them for His beloved children to work always for their good and His glory.  We have no need to get muddled up in our dark thoughts.  As His beloved child, we can cry out to Him.  We can  nestle under His wing until the calamities have passed and be safe in His presence.  His plan for us is from His heart of love.  Our trials, though difficult, are our greatest blessings in disguise.  They keep us at His feet and surround us with His presence.  It is there, at His feet, that we are safe and content...happy and peaceful.  It is there, at His feet, that we begin to see what He went through for us.  It is there, at His feet, that we begin to thank God for our trials and afflictions because in them we have known Him. 

Love

Mom

The Light of the Knowledge of the Glory of God…

 And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and signs among the people. 9 Then there arose some from what is called the Synagogue of the Freedmen (Cyrenians, Alexandrians, and those from Cilicia and Asia), disputing with Stephen. 10 And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the Spirit by which he spoke. 11 Then they secretly induced men to say, "We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and God." 12 And they stirred up the people, the elders, and the scribes; and they came upon him, seized him, and brought him to the council. 13 They also set up false witnesses who said, "This man does not cease to speak blasphemous words against this holy place and the law; 14 for we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and change the customs which Moses delivered to us." 15 And all who sat in the council, looking steadfastly at him, saw his face as the face of an angel.—Acts 6:8-15

For Stephen’s sermon see Acts 7:1-53

54 When they heard these things they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed at him with their teeth. 55 But he, being full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God, 56 and said, "Look! I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!"

57 Then they cried out with a loud voice, stopped their ears, and ran at him with one accord; 58 and they cast him out of the city and stoned him. And the witnesses laid down their clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul. 59 And they stoned Stephen as he was calling on God and saying, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit." 60 Then he knelt down and cried out with a loud voice, "Lord, do not charge them with this sin." And when he had said this, he fell asleep.—Acts 7:54-60

Beloved…Scripture tells us not to despise the day of “small” things. It also says those who are faithful in little will be made rulers over great things. Stephen began in ministry by waiting tables and serving widows.  He finished his race as a deacon (one of seven men chosen by the early church as being a man full of the Holy Spirit, full of wisdom, and full of good works) dying for his faith. Wherever you find yourself today……whatever job the Lord gives you to do…do it faithfully. Do it unto the Lord and not unto man.

Stephen was also a man who obviously spent much time with His Lord and the word of God. So much so that some of the men around him became envious.  They couldn’t best him in debate so similarly to what they did to Jesus they found false witnesses to come against him.  I loved that Stephen even as anger,  false accusations and rocks flew at him, his face did not reflect fear or anger or hatred but shone with the glory of heaven. Stephen looked unto Jesus, and the world around him faded in the light of His glory and grace.

For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.—2 Corinthians 4:6

29 Now it was so, when Moses came down from Mount Sinai (and the two tablets of the Testimony were in Moses' hand when he came down from the mountain), that Moses did not know that the skin of his face shone while he talked with Him. 30 So when Aaron and all the children of Israel saw Moses, behold, the skin of his face shone, and they were afraid to come near him

Father…Help me to be content where you have me and wherever You have me by Your Spirit may I do all in Your name and for Your glory. May my heart fill and overflow with Your words. May your light emanate from within me and shine Your love on those around me.

The LORD Will Guide You Continually..

 6 "Is this not the fast that I have chosen:

To loose the bonds of wickedness,

To undo the heavy burdens,

To let the oppressed go free,

And that you break every yoke?

7 Is it not to share your bread with the hungry,

And that you bring to your house the poor who are cast out;

When you see the naked, that you cover him,

And not hide yourself from your own flesh?

8 Then your light shall break forth like the morning,

Your healing shall spring forth speedily,

And your righteousness shall go before you;

The glory of the LORD shall be your rear guard.

9 Then you shall call, and the LORD will answer;

You shall cry, and He will say, 'Here I am.'

"If you take away the yoke from your midst,

The pointing of the finger, and speaking wickedness,

10 If you extend your soul to the hungry

And satisfy the afflicted soul,

Then your light shall dawn in the darkness,

And your darkness shall be as the noonday

11 The LORD will guide you continually,

And satisfy your soul in drought,

And strengthen your bones;

You shall be like a watered garden,

And like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail.—Isaiah 58:6-11

The Lord will guide you (me!) continually!  There is comfort that is absolutely beyond words and beyond comprehension in that simple phrase.  The LORD…the Maker of Heaven and Earth…the omniscient, omnipotent, omnipresent God of the Universe…the One who formed me and knows all my days…will guide me CONTINUALLY.  He will never leave me nor forsake me.  He will hear me when I call and He will be my ever present help!

Beloved…we don’t have to flounder through this life.  As we keep the “fast” that He has chosen, we will abide in His love and He will go before us.  He will make our way plain before our face. 

In Genesis 24 we meet Abraham’s oldest servant.  What I noted in particular about this story was that Abraham’s servant seemed to live his life in an attitude of prayer and thanksgiving AND the LORD guided him continually!  Praying this morning that like Abraham’s servant, I begin and end not only each day with prayer, but also each endeavor. Below is some of the story…I have highlighted the prayers of Abraham’s servant. 

1 Now Abraham was old, well advanced in years. And the Lord had blessed Abraham in all things. 2 And Abraham said to his servant, the oldest of his household, who had charge of all that he had, “Put your hand under my thigh, 3 that I may make you swear by the Lord, the God of heaven and God of the earth, that you will not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I dwell, 4 but will go to my country and to my kindred, and take a wife for my son Isaac.”  10 Then the servant took ten of his master’s camels and departed, taking all sorts of choice gifts from his master; and arose and went to Mesopotamia to the city of Nahor. 11 And he made the camels kneel down outside the city by the well of water at the time of evening, the time when women go out to draw water. 12 And he said, “O Lord, God of my master Abraham, please grant me success today and show steadfast love to my master Abraham. 13 Behold, I am standing by the spring of water, and the daughters of the men of the city are coming out to draw water. 14 Let the young woman to whom I shall say, ‘Please let down your jar that I may drink,’ and who shall say, ‘Drink, and I will water your camels’—let her be the one whom you have appointed for your servant Isaac. By this I shall know that you have shown steadfast love to my master.”  15 Before he had finished speaking, behold, Rebekah, who was born to Bethuel the son of Milcah, the wife of Nahor, Abraham’s brother, came out with her water jar on her shoulder. 16 The young woman was very attractive in appearance, a maiden whom no man had known. She went to the spring and filled her jar and came up. 17 Then the servant ran to meet her and said, “Please give me a little water to drink from your jar.” 18 She said, “Drink, my lord.” And she quickly let down her jar upon her hand and gave him a drink. 19 When she had finished giving him a drink, she said, “I will draw water for your camels also, until they have finished drinking.” 20 So she quickly emptied her jar into the trough and ran again to the well to draw water, and she drew for all his camels. 21 The man gazed at her in silence to learn whether the Lord had prospered his journey or not. 22 When the camels had finished drinking, the man took a gold ring weighing a half shekel (about one-fifth of an ounce), and two bracelets for her arms weighing ten gold shekels (about four ounces), 23 and said, “Please tell me whose daughter you are. Is there room in your father’s house for us to spend the night?” 24 She said to him, “I am the daughter of Bethuel the son of Milcah, whom she bore to Nahor.” 25 She added, “We have plenty of both straw and fodder, and room to spend the night.” 26 The man bowed his head and worshiped the Lord 27 and said, “Blessed be the Lord, the God of my master Abraham, who has not forsaken his steadfast love and his faithfulness toward my master. As for me, the Lord has led me in the way to the house of my master’s kinsman.” 28 Then the young woman ran and told her mother’s household about these things. 29 Rebekah had a brother whose name was Laban. Laban ran out toward the man, to the spring. 30 As soon as he saw the ring and the bracelets on his sister’s arms, and heard the words of Rebekah his sister, “Thus the man spoke to me,” he went to the man. And behold he was standing by the camels at the spring. 31 He said, “Come in, O blessed of the Lord. Why do you stand outside? For I have prepared the house and a place for the camels.—Genesis 24:1-4; 10-31

Everything in this story for Abraham’s servant worked as good as he could have hoped for. This probably wasn’t always the case in the life of this servant and it probably won’t always “seem” to be the case in our own lives, but if any one activity can make it so…prayer can. 

5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart,

And lean not on your own understanding;

6 In all your ways acknowledge Him,

And He shall direct your paths.—Proverbs 3:5-6

He has shown you, O man, what is good;

And what does the LORD require of you

But to do justly,

To love mercy,

And to walk humbly with your God?—Micah 6:8

The Answer of the Tongue….

 33 When they heard this, they were furious and plotted to kill them. 34 Then one in the council stood up, a Pharisee named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law held in respect by all the people, and commanded them to put the apostles outside for a little while. 35 And he said to them: "Men of Israel, take heed to yourselves what you intend to do regarding these men. 36 For some time ago Theudas rose up, claiming to be somebody. A number of men, about four hundred, joined him. He was slain, and all who obeyed him were scattered and came to nothing. 37 After this man, Judas of Galilee rose up in the days of the census, and drew away many people after him. He also perished, and all who obeyed him were dispersed. 38 And now I say to you, keep away from these men and let them alone; for if this plan or this work is of men, it will come to nothing; 39 but if it is of God, you cannot overthrow it—lest you even be found to fight against God."—Acts 5:33-39

God’s sovereignty has always been a comfort to me.  Today, as I read Gamaliel’s words was no exception.  Proverbs 16:1 came to mind. 

The preparations of the heart belong to man,

But the answer of the tongue is from the LORD.

Gamaliel’s sympathy as far as I can tell was not with the church.  He did, however, understand history. He also understood God’s sovereign workings on the earth.  Proverbs 16:1 reminds us that God guides the answer of the tongue. (What comes out of a man’s heart). Here it seems He sovereignly directs Gamaliel’s words to perhaps protect His people from further persecution. 

Walvoord says that Gamiel’s speech in verses 38-39 reads like an apologetic for the church given by an enemy….I liked that. The result of the movement would tell them if it were of human origin or from God. If it truly was of God (and we know it was), it would be like fighting against God Himself!

Beloved…The Lord rules and overrules in the kingdom of men. If we truly believe this, it will be a constant source of comfort no matter what may be going on in our personal lives or in the world around us.  Return to your rest, o my soul, for the Lord has dealt bountifully with you.

The LORD-is-My-Banner…

8 Now Amalek came and fought with Israel in Rephidim. 9 And Moses said to Joshua, "Choose us some men and go out, fight with Amalek. Tomorrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the rod of God in my hand." 10 So Joshua did as Moses said to him, and fought with Amalek. And Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill. 11 And so it was, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed; and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed. 12 But Moses' hands became heavy; so they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat on it. And Aaron and Hur supported his hands, one on one side, and the other on the other side; and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun. 13 So Joshua defeated Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword. 14 Then the LORD said to Moses, "Write this for a memorial in the book and recount it in the hearing of Joshua, that I will utterly blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven." 15 And Moses built an altar and called its name, The-LORD-Is-My-Banner; 16 for he said, "Because the LORD has sworn: the LORD will have war with Amalek from generation to generation."—Exodus 17:8-16

This story was a very good reminder to me that as a child of God I depend on God’s grace to see me through this earthly realm.  The power of divine grace made me His child and it is the power of divine grace that will see me through this life.  When I act independently of the Spirit of God, my flesh wins an easy victory. When Moses hands were held up and he prayed, Israel prevailed in the battle.  The moment his hands began to droop, Amalek prevailed. The battle here was not fought on the ground…it was fought at the top of the mountain. Moses won the battle and prayer was his weapon. 

As I contemplate this I am overwhelmed by the weapons we as believers have in our arsenal that we very often do not use.

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ,—Ephesians 1:3

3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. 4 For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, 5 casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, 6 and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled.—2 Corinthians 10:3-6

Behold, I stand at the door and knock,” Jesus says. “If any man hear My voice and open the door, I will come in to him and sup with him and he with Me.”

Praying today that I open that door to His help, His power, His Presence and His company.  Beloved…The Lord fights for us. Both the battle and the victory belong to Him.  Call unto Him who will show you great and mighty things, which you do not know. 

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; 7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.—Philippians 4:6-7

in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. 53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. 54 So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: "Death is swallowed up in victory."

55 "O Death, where is your sting?

O Hades, where is your victory?"

56 The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.—1 Corinthians 15:52-58

On Forgetting…

 8 So the child grew and was weaned. And Abraham made a great feast on the same day that Isaac was weaned.

9 And Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, whom she had borne to Abraham, scoffing. 10 Therefore she said to Abraham, "Cast out this bondwoman and her son; for the son of this bondwoman shall not be heir with my son, namely with Isaac." 11 And the matter was very displeasing in Abraham's sight because of his son.

12 But God said to Abraham, "Do not let it be displeasing in your sight because of the lad or because of your bondwoman. Whatever Sarah has said to you, listen to her voice; for in Isaac your seed shall be called. 13 Yet I will also make a nation of the son of the bondwoman, because he is your seed."

14 So Abraham rose early in the morning, and took bread and a skin of water; and putting it on her shoulder, he gave it and the boy to Hagar, and sent her away. Then she departed and wandered in the Wilderness of Beersheba. 15 And the water in the skin was used up, and she placed the boy under one of the shrubs. 16 Then she went and sat down across from him at a distance of about a bowshot; for she said to herself, "Let me not see the death of the boy." So she sat opposite him, and lifted her voice and wept.

17 And God heard the voice of the lad. Then the angel of God called to Hagar out of heaven, and said to her, "What ails you, Hagar? Fear not, for God has heard the voice of the lad where he is. 18 Arise, lift up the lad and hold him with your hand, for I will make him a great nation."

19 Then God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water. And she went and filled the skin with water, and gave the lad a drink. 20 So God was with the lad; and he grew and dwelt in the wilderness, and became an archer. 21 He dwelt in the Wilderness of Paran; and his mother took a wife for him from the land of Egypt.—Genesis 21:8-21

It seems from reading this passage that Hagar had forgotten the Lord who appeared to her before.  Earlier, in Genesis 16 we find Hagar, Abraham’s wife, pregnant, alone and helpless in the wilderness by a spring of water after fleeing from Sarai’s harsh treatment.  Here, the Angel of the Lord appears to her and tells her to return and submit herself under the hand of her mistress and assures her of His protection and His plan for her.  Hagar could go back and submit herself under Sarai’s hand because she knew she was really committing herself to God...to the God who saw her affliction and would look after her. 

Hagar speaking...

So she called the name of the LORD who spoke to her, “You are a God of seeing,”for she said, “Truly here I have seen him who looks after me.”—Genesis 16:13 ESV

In Chapter 21 we find her once again in the wilderness weeping. In her fear and misery Hagar forgot the God who looked after her. I can do the same. 

❤️Our forgetfulness of mercy in the past is at the heart of our present hopelessness.—Spurgeon❤️

Beloved…God keeps His promises…God has a plan. It was God who orchestrated the events in Hagar’s life. It was God who sent Hagar and her son away. It was God who took care of them in the desert. 

Father…Forgive my own forgetting!  Forgive my lack of faith and unbelief. Unite my heart to fear Your name!  Today, I commit myself into Your care. Today, I will trust that You will watch over me and take good care of me. 

My Presence Will Go With You…

 20 So they took their journey from Succoth and camped in Etham at the edge of the wilderness. 21 And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so as to go by day and night. 22 He did not take away the pillar of cloud by day or the pillar of fire by night from before the people.—Exodus 13:20-22

God led the people in a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night.  These clouds were associated with the presence of Angel of God…. Day and night God’s people knew He was with them and was leading them.

And the Angel of God, who went before the camp of Israel, moved and went behind them; and the pillar of cloud went from before them and stood behind them. 20 So it came between the camp of the Egyptians and the camp of Israel. Thus it was a cloud and darkness to the one, and it gave light by night to the other, so that the one did not come near the other all that night.—Exodus 14:19-20

I have thought often about this passage over the years.  Mostly in terms of how I would feel if I was an Israelite journeying through the wilderness WITHOUT the tangible and visible Presence of the Lord.  The words adrift and panicked come to mind.  I KNOW I would want to go back to the familiar…even if the familiar was slavery in Egypt.  It is the same for me today if I contemplate walking through this vale of tears without my Emanuel…my God who is with me.  Beloved…our God knows what we need and what we need is Him.  

And He said, "My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest." 15 Then he said to Him, "If Your Presence does not go with us, do not bring us up from here.—Exodus 33

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.—Psalm 23

Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.—Isaiah 41:10

When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, Nor shall the flame scorch you.—Isaiah 43:2

Whom have I in heaven but You?

And there is none upon earth that I desire besides You.

26 My flesh and my heart fail;

But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.—Psalm 73:25-26

Abba, Father!

 For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.”—Romans 8:15

Last night my heart began to fear.  For a moment I floundered…but God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, (me) heard me and I was helped. 

I opened my book of Bible promises to shore up my thinking with the truth of God.  The Spirit brought understanding to my heart as I read Roman’s 8:15.  Its meaning hit me in a way that it never had before.  God’s truth broke through the bars that fear had put up and released my heart to once again trust my Father in Heaven. 

I have been released from the bondage that fear brings because I am now in Christ…never alone.  I am His precious child, and instead of fearing, I can cry out to my Father who does all things well.  He is my shield.  He will cover me with His feathers and in the covert of His wings I can find my refuge. Such sweet and utter relief to know that I was not left alone (and would never be again)in my swirling and sickening thoughts.  My God..no…my Abba…my Daddy…was with me and would never leave me.  

The Fear of Man…

 Pilate, therefore, wishing to release Jesus, again called out to them. 21 But they shouted, saying, "Crucify Him, crucify Him!"

22 Then he said to them the third time, "Why, what evil has He done? I have found no reason for death in Him. I will therefore chastise Him and let Him go."

23 But they were insistent, demanding with loud voices that He be crucified. And the voices of these men and of the chief priests prevailed. 24 So Pilate gave sentence that it should be as they requested. 25 And he released to them the one they requested, who for rebellion and murder had been thrown into prison; but he delivered Jesus to their will.—Luke 23:20-25

Pilate heard two voices…the voice of his conscience and the voice of the crowd.  Sadly, tragically, he succumbed to the loud, insistent voice of man. 

Father…Praying today that my own heart would put aside the fear of man that can drown out the voice of Your precious Spirit speaking Your truth and Your direction to my heart. Give me the courage to live out my faith even and especially in the face of fear and opposition. 

The fear of man brings a snare,

But whoever trusts in the LORD shall be safe.—Proverbs 29:25

Enoch Walked with God…

 Enoch lived sixty-five years, and begot Methuselah. 22 After he begot Methuselah, Enoch walked with God three hundred years, and had sons and daughters. 23 So all the days of Enoch were three hundred and sixty-five years. 24 And Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took him.—Genesis 5:21-24

By faith Enoch was taken away so that he did not see death, "and was not found, because God had taken him"; for before he was taken he had this testimony, that he pleased God. 6 But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.—Hebrews11:5-6

The writer of Genesis in Chapter 5 reminds us that Enoch didn’t just live…Enoch walked with God.  Enoch desired to live a life of faith…a life of unbroken fellowship with His God.  Spending all his time with the Lord was what was important to Enoch.  For 300 years! Enoch faithfully walked with God.  He didn’t just visit with him during the day, he remained with Him.  Enoch abided.  

I so like the picture this paints of companionably walking with my God throughout my day.  Enoch’s testimony was simply that he pleased God.  It didn’t matter who else around him may not have been pleased because pleasing God was what mattered to Enoch. May this be more and more true of my own life with each passing day.  Oh Father!  Do this work in me!  Not by might…not by power but my my Spirit says the Lord. May nothing come between us…May nothing ever be more important to me than You. 

1 He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High

Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.

2 I will say of the LORD, "He is my refuge and my fortress;

My God, in Him I will trust."—Psalm 91:1-2

14 "Because he has set his love upon Me, therefore I will deliver him;

I will set him on high, because he has known My name.

15 He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him;

I will be with him in trouble;

I will deliver him and honor him.

16 With long life I will satisfy him,

And show him My salvation."—Psalm 91:14-16