Walking with God by Jos. Clarke

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jul 12, 1870

Walking with God.

By Jos. Clarke

It is said of Enoch, that he walked with God. David says, Blessed is the man who walketh not in the council of the ungodly.

The word walk as here used, signifies course of life. It is thus used often in Scripture; as in Luke 1, 6: walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord, &c.

To walk thus, is the privilege of all who will, or who choose to do so. Few do this. It is attempted by many; but the way is so narrow, that many turn back, or aside, at different points; some almost at the gates of Heaven.

These succeed best whose Christian career is commenced by repentance and humility of heart. A mistake here is often fatal; for few will submit to the mortification of beginning anew their journey.

A sense of sin and its odiousness in the sight of God, must always precede true repentance. The existence of this carnal principle in the heart, is humbling to the Christian. It is his burden until he drops it at the cross.

It is the design of his life to walk with God, to be led in the narrow way by the Spirit of God. He does not allow himself to be influenced by surrounding circumstances; and this constitutes the great difference between him and the worldling, who drifts with the age in which he lives.

“Who will show me the way to wealth or honor, to ease or fame?” is the cry of the worldling. “O Father, let thy light fill my soul!” is the prayer of the saint.

These two opposite principles lead in opposite directions, and to different results. A man who earnestly follows out the latter course, reasons honestly and conscientiously; speaks and acts from the same principle.

In a world like ours, where evil exists everywhere, and in the most complicated forms, the Christian is under the necessity of preparing himself for his journey in the most thorough manner. He will not yield up his principles though he may his fortune or his life. It is his business to serve his Master. He knows no other sovereign.

The trials he is obliged to meet are peculiar to the life he leads. He is a part of the human race, with like passions with others. He is obliged daily to come in contact with the unhallowed influence of those who act upon principles directly opposed to those he has espoused. Of course, he is daily in contact with the subjects of Satan; and the remains of his own carnal nature being in many instances yet in greater or less activity within, he is in a constant warfare; not with carnal weapons, but spiritual.

To enumerate all the trials of the Christian, would be impossible and unnecessary; for he esteems them light. These are God's monitors, and answer important purposes.

The great object of the Christian, is to honor God by walking in his ways. To do this, he must free himself from the evil influences around him. He must have within, a constantly burning flame of love to God, which is manifested by a spirit of watchfulness and prayer; rooted and grounded in love. He daily feasts upon the love and favor of God.

While thus in favor with God, the flattery or the slander of his enemies falls harmless at his feet. He hears the echo of Satan's artillery; and though it is annoying to him, yet he soon forgets the impression made by the enemy and his allies, in his zeal to press on to new victories.

One victory over himself, one passion subdued, gives him greater joy, than the possession of millions of this world's treasures: to be calm and composed in the battle with Satan's host, to have within the assurance that his Master approves his course, is to him a constant fountain of joy. JOS. CLARKE.