Can We Walk With God?

Can we walk with God?

"Noah ... walked with God" Genesis 6:9

We frequently use the phrase "walked with God" in the context of an old saint now back home with the Lord indicating the feeling of a journey of life lived God's way. Genesis 3:8 shows us that Adam “heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden". God's Spirit literally moved through the beautiful garden He had planted, seeking out the very reason He made it all in the first place - a place for friendship with man. Sin destroyed all that of course. Genesis 5:24 says that “Enoch walked in habitual fellowship with God; and he was not, for God took him home with Him.” My favourite Bible character, Elijah, walked with God too, as did Moses and David. 

There are others too, of course, but my question to us all here today is simply this, can we, too, walk with God? I mean, can we walk with God in any way similar to the mighty men of God of old? Can we have the sort of relationship these old timers had with God? Walking with Him; talking with Him – in conversational mode?

Why ever not?

I don’t know about the version of the Bible that you read, but my Bible says, “Yes” a great big loud, emphatic, “Yes”! Firstly, we have the example of the relationship God had with these men and women of old. Then we have in John 1:12-13 “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name:  who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.”

Now why would God call us to be, or even give us the right to be children if He didn’t want a father/child relationship with us? In fact I believe He wants more of a relationship than He ever had with David or Elijah because I believe He wants real intimacy with us. Jesus said He no longer calls us servants but friends – that’s a big step up from my understanding of His relationships in the past.

Why else would He rend the veil and allow us right into His presence? Why would He give us all the gifts of Holy Spirit, especially tongues - the power to pray in the Spirit when we pray in His language not ours? No other explanation holds water except that He now wants a close and intimate relationship with us.

This relationship is what God wants and He has made a way for us to enter into it with Him. He has opened a door where there seemed to be no door. He bids us enter His throne room – He holds out His sceptre towards us – and bids us welcome. Its not always a place of talking either. It is a place of silence too where we just sit at His feet and listen to Him speaking to us – gently, softly, opening our minds to His thoughts.

What an amazing privilege. What an incredible Father God. Don’t you just love Him?