Commentary: Walk with God

Ralph Fudge

But how can we, too, walk with God? In brief, through more Bible study, more prayer, and more fellowship with other believers.”

I once saw a bumper sticker that I very much liked. It said, “Exercise daily; walk with God.” What wonderful advice! The exercise we get by walking with God is not physical but spiritual and far more important. The Apostle Paul told Timothy, “For bodily exercise profits a little, but godliness is profitable for all things, having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come” (1 Timothy 4:18).

In the Old Testament, we read of a man called Enoch. In Genesis 5:24, we read, “And Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took him.” Reference to Enoch is also made in the New Testament, such as in Hebrews 11:5, which tells us, “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.” Enoch had a close, personal, and intimate relationship with his Father in heaven. He and Elijah were the only two men who never died. In fact, Elijah was taken up in a chariot of fire (2 Kings 2:11). Here we read, “As they (Elijah and Elisha) were walking along and talking together, suddenly a chariot of fire and horses of fire appeared and separated the two of them, and Elijah went up to heaven in a whirlwind.”

Were Elijah and Enoch perfect men? Of course not! Jesus was the only perfect man that ever lived on earth. Enoch and Elijah, as spiritual and faithful as they were, were still sinners like us. They displeased God at times, but they were far more righteous than all the other men of their day. They loved God and tried to please Him the best they could.

But how can we, too, walk with God? In brief, through more Bible study, more prayer, and more fellowship with other believers. We should all spend much more time in prayer by finding a daily quiet time for sweet communion with our heavenly Father. We are His children, and He wants to hear from us often and regularly. Prayer is, unfortunately, the most neglected part of most Christians’ lives, and that is a shame! It is reported that Christians spend five minutes a day in prayer and three hours watching television.

We all need to find time every day for Bible study, or at least Bible reading. The Bible is full of pure wisdom. It will make you far wiser than those who do not bother to read it. It will provide answers and solutions to all your problems and questions. It contains the very words of life. It explains the plan of salvation, and it is your handbook and “owner’s manual.” Remember that when you read God’s Word, you are listening as God speaks to you.

We also need frequent corporate worship with other believers. This means regular church attendance. So many people who call and think of themselves as Christians never attend church today. John explains a lot of this when he says, "They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us; but they went out that they might be made manifest, that none of them were of us” (1 John 2:19). Singing praises to God, listening to inspiring sermons, and enjoying the company of people you love all express your devotion to God. Obedience and devotion to God are the only ways to walk with God.

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Ralph Fudge is the pastor of Big Ochlocknee Baptist Church in Coolidge, Ga., and has a Master’s degree in theology from Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary.