FROM THE DAWGHOUSE…
ABOUT OUR DAILY DAWG FROM A FORGE BROTHER
So this week at FORGE I taught on the DAWG…here’s what a good friend of mine emailed me after:
Good morning, Pete.
It was good to be back in the saddle again at Forge, and to be given a reminder of the importance of our Daily Appointment with God.
Indeed I cannot tell you how many times in the morning I sit down to read my Bible, and my mind becomes overwhelmed with an ever-growing to-do list. The things I didn’t tackle yesterday, or the email response I never sent and that project with a looming deadline. At times, the temptation to skip my time with God is so often overwhelming, frustrating, and filled with guilt.
More often than I care to admit, I succumbed to the pressure of getting things done rather than spending time with God. I become Martha instead of Mary, and it all begins with what seems to be a harmless decision… “Let me just check my email first,” I say to myself. Soon, one email turns into many and begets a never-ending cycle of tackling everything that appears to be urgent and pressing.
At the end of the day, I had not spent time with God at all. Ugh.
I wish I could say this only happens on rare occasions, but the reality is, it happens too often. Yet, I imagine God is not looking down in disappointment but with an extended hand, offering me an open invitation to come and spend time with Him. Always.
He does this with all of us, doesn’t He?
This is an invitation I believe Enoch accepted often because Genesis 5:24 describes him as one who “walked faithfully with God.” Given the fact that Enoch was a mere human being, this is a fascinating verse.
The book of Genesis is the first place where we see the extreme distinction between man and God. Man is considered common and of low regard. God is Elohim, sovereign and omnipotent. Enoch existed before the death and resurrection of Christ, so we know that in addition to his common nature, he was also separated from God by his sin. Despite all of these barriers, Enoch’s relationship with God was one where he walked in step with his Creator. He did not walk behind God, missing His leading. Nor did he walk in front of God, moving without His authority and backing. Enoch accompanied God. This would require him to keep pace with God the Father. If it were me, I think I would either be running — out of breath, trying to keep up — or lagging very far behind. Can you imagine keeping pace with God spiritually?
Surely this was cultivated over time, which is what you have asked us to do with DAWG.
The cool thing is that I don’t get the impression that the interaction between Enoch and God was a religious one, filled with regimented rituals and routines. I sense they had a genuine relationship. God loved Enoch so much that the second half of the verse tells us He simply took Enoch away. Enoch never had to taste the bitterness of death: “Enoch walked faithfully with God; then he was no more, because God took him away” (Genesis 5:24). He simply was and then he was no more. I think this is an amazing depiction of what a relationship with God can be. We, too, though common and of low regard, can have this same type of relationship with our omnipresent God.
We can walk with Him through our deepest valleys and highest mountaintops. His invitation remains open for us all. We have the privilege and honor of walking in step with God our Father. This requires that we choose Him over every competing distraction. In doing so, we, just like Enoch, accept the invitation to spend time with our unchanging God.
Just wanted to share.
Joe
Better than I said it. Thanks Joe!
Strength and Courage,
Pete Alwinson
