Walk Don’t Run

    It is the refrain of every lower grade teacher in every school with linoleum floors, “Walk don’t run!”  I remember the energy and desire in elementary to HAVE to tag someone before it was too late! To hear the words “You’re it!” was unbearable so often times in order not to be “it” I had to chase someone, touch them, and then run away so as to not ever “it” again.  And in doing so the authority figures in the school did not understand that I HAD to run! Of course this is nonsense as I think about it as a mature person. I could have slipped on some random wetness on the floor and been injured. I could have ran head first into another student and gave them a concussion, I actually saw that happen before.  What the teachers were doing in their yelling was warning us to take our time! When one runs aimlessly they lack the ability to stop when they NEED to, they lack the ability to take into account a good next step, and they don’t consider how their method of moving from one point to the other will affect the authority figure.

This week we look at the life of Enoch and his impact in the world of faith! Genesis 5:24 states “Enoch walked with God; then he was not there because God took him.” Walking is not always appealing unless you are one of entertaining speed walking folks. Walking takes time! It takes longer to walk anywhere than it does to run. But in doing so we have the ability to see hazards. Enoch decided to walk with God after the birth of his son Methuselah. The Bible doesn’t state his why but only that he started! When walking WITH God one chooses to get where they are going WITH guidance! God will always make sure that we avoid pitfalls and equip us with the ones that will benefit us and others. If God is guiding our steps we can devote more energy in other areas of our lives! We don’t have to figure out what God has already given us the answer to! Another positive area of walking is that we see in the life of Enoch was how it affected the authority figure. When we don’t walk as we should, carefully and within the will of God we may cause others to miss Him. Just imagine if Enoch chose to live a wicked life, raising an even worse son in Methuselah, and then Methuselah teaches his grandson how to run without care or purpose? I have a brief yet simple statement, “Walk, don’t run.”

A combined sermon series with the Western Hills Church of Christ