p. 594 | Walking with God by Independent

International Tract and Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Oct 8, 1885

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 11, No. 38.

Walking with God.

By Independent

To walk with God is the highest spiritual attainment of the Christian. It means fellowship, intimacy, and communion, as we have before pointed out. Enoch walked with God, and had this testimony, that "he pleased God." No doubt there are many of us who would like to walk with God, or, at least, we think we would. If our Lord Jesus Christ should come down to the city or town in which we live, and select any one of us for his companion while on such a visit to the earth, to walk with him over the mountains, or through the streets of the city, what an honor we would esteem it. How people would talk about it! How many people would say: "I do wish the Lord had chosen me for his companion." It would be known among all our friends and neighbors. It would be known throughout all the church; nay, we might say, throughout all the world. And yet this is the privilege of each one of us, not for an occasion, but for every day and for all time.

One of the favorite hymns of the church is:

"Oh! for a closer walk with God;"

And one of the chief complaints of the average Christian is, that it is difficult to maintain a close walk with God. There are many of us who want the spiritual delight of walking with God, who fancy that such a walk would fill the soul with heavenly joy; and no doubt it does, albeit the men who have walked the closest with God have had to walk with him in the fire and through the flood, through the lion's den, and many afflictions. In walking with God, Abel met his death; Noah had to contend with the unbelieving antediluvians; Abraham had to forsake country and kindred; Moses suffered afflictions with the people of God, choosing them rather than the pleasures of sin for a season; the prophets were despised and rejected of men. The most conspicuous example of all was that of our Lord Jesus Christ, who never for even one small moment lost communion with God, or parted company with him. In one sense, he was the most lonely man who ever walked with this world, because of that unbroken walk with God.

Yet we would not for a moment leave the impression that a walk with God is of necessity one of sorrow and affliction only; for the highest expressions of joy of which we know anything are from those whose walks with God have been the closest. It is, indeed, only the Christian who walks with God who can sing in his sorrow and afflictions.

But to come back to the question, Why is it so difficult to find and maintain a close walk with God? We think the answer to this is found in the fact that it is not so much that we want to walk with God as it is that we want God to walk with us. We are fond of our own way, even when it is not pleasing to God. We are not willing to give it up. But to walk in our own way, which, at the same time, is not God's way, is to lose his company. But to lose companionship with God is to fill our souls with darkness and trouble. Our souls cry out for God, for the living God; but God will not walk with us when our way is not his way. If, therefore, we would resume our walk with God, we must abandon our way and go over to his way again. The whole trouble is in our indisposition to leave our way and always walk in God's way. This is to fear the Lord, to walk in his way. It is not that God ever parts company with us, but that we part company with him. It is not said that God walked with Enoch, but that "Enoch walked with God." God has his walk in this world; it is open and plain to any one who chooses to walk in it. He is "not far from every one of us."

Whosoever will may come and walk with him. "Master, where dwellest thou?" was asked by two of the disciples of Jesus. His answer was: "Come and see." When he was on earth, he was always easily found. In the highway; in the temple; by the well; in the house of the Pharisees; eating with publicans and sinners; by the seashore; everywhere where the need of man called him. If we have never found him, he is within hearing of our call. If we already know him, and are walking with him in the way of his commandments, he is with us; for to such he says: "Lo, I am with you always;" "If any man will be my disciple, let him take up his cross, and come after me." This is the way to walk with God. But to do this we must deny ourselves; and this is where the pinch comes. We would all be glad to have God walk with us in our way, and so indorse and sanctify it, but are not anxious to walk in his way, even for the sake of walking with him.

It must not be supposed that walking with God will make ascetics of men. This was the mistake of some of the earlier Christians who fled to the desert and the mountains, thinking that, in this way only, could they maintain a walk with God. But his delights are with the sons of men, not apart from them. To mingle with men for their good, to leave with them a testimony for God, is the Christian's high calling. To mingle with men, leaving God out of companionship, is the sure way of becoming corrupt. So jealous was Moses for the presence of God with him, that he prayed that, if God went not up with him into the promised land, he might not be sent. And again, we find him praying: "Show me thy way." A close walk with God is easy and practical to those who want God's way rather than their own. If in all our ways we will acknowledge him, he will direct our paths, and thus we shall "walk with God."