Walking With Jesus

It is remarkable that in the time between the creation of the world and the great flood, there were only a handful of people mentioned by name who feared the LORD and walked with Him.  Abel, Enoch and Noah are men spoken of in the book of Hebrews who were marked by faith in God.  By faith Abel and his offering were accepted, Enoch walked with God and was not because God took him, and by faith Noah was moved to obey God and build an ark according to divine specifications.  Everyone created in the image of God has the capacity to know and walk with Him by faith, but the scripture makes it clear those who do are numbered in the minority.

It dawned on me clearly as I observed what we are told of the antediluvian world, that very few people walk with God.  It is one thing to call on the name of the LORD but another to walk with Him, day by day in communion and fellowship.  People who have heard of God and even believe He exists do not always call out to Him, seek Him or walk with Him.  I believe this is true concerning believers as well, for we can view God as a means to our end.  We substitute seeking something from God for walking with Him by faith.  Like the prodigal in the parable, we can approach God as the man did his father to provide what he wanted so he could go on his merry way.  The older brother also showed this tendency, for he departed from the festivities and his father to show his disapproval for the father's mercy, grace and joy towards that wayward son of his.

Praise the LORD, for in the parable the father ran to meet the wayward son and also pursued the proud and angry one.  The father went to his returning son to welcome him, and he went and pleaded with the self-righteous son who departed from him.  In this we see the loving character of God towards His own children, wretched in every respect by comparison.  The generosity of our heavenly Father has been wasted on us as is the privilege of serving Him.  We have imagined ourselves good and faithful when really Jesus Christ is the only One who deserves such honour.  Our Saviour Jesus bids us to walk with Him in Matthew 11:28-30:  "Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. ²⁹ Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. ³⁰ For My yoke is easy and My burden is light."

It is a great privilege and humbling honour to be personally invited by Jesus to walk with Him, but let us not be content with an invitation alone:  our rest and satisfaction is found in Christ.  It is primarily in who we are as born again believers than what we do.  What we do flows from who Jesus is like a branch is connected to the vine.  Jesus is the Head of the church and we are members of His body.  Because each member of the body has a brain it is possible we would have a "mind of our own" and not submit ourselves to the mind of Christ.  When we have the mind of Christ and yield to the leading of the Holy Spirit in unison, then we will be coordinated in service unto Him.  In a three-legged race there must be yielding and agreement between both people to reach the goal and remain upright, and when we come alongside Christ to walk with Him we learn of Him.

Let us seek Jesus Christ to walk with Him, not just to be healed or given a directive.  Isaiah 2:3 says concerning the last days, "Many people shall come and say, "Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; He will teach us His ways, and we shall walk in His paths." For out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem."  In the Millennium people will flock to Jesus Christ the KING OF KINGS to learn His ways and to walk in His paths.  We have been invited to walk with Him today by faith, and blessed are all those who do.