"Enoch"

"By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God." Hebrews 11:5

The name Enoch means "teacher". When I discovered this, I thought, "How fitting". Although the Bible doesn't tell us a lot about Enoch, it tells us he walked so closely to God that one day God translated him and took him to be with Him. Enoch didn't make it to heaven by way of the grave like the rest of us- his arrival took place through supernatural means. He was only one of two men recorded in the Bible who did not leave this earth through death.

Why do I think the meaning of his name is fitting? Even though we don't know a whole lot about him, what we do know "teaches" us a lot. We can look at his life and learn from it- which is what a teacher does.. teaches. His life teaches us that he was no ordinary man. Those who are followers of the Lord and walk with Him, are not "ordinary" people. We are considered by God as a "royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people". (1 Peter 2:9) There should be nothing "ordinary" about us because we are children of God, ambassadors of Christ, representatives of the King of kings and Lord of lords and bright shining lights in a dark world. (Matthew 5:16)

Enoch's life also teaches us not to follow "status quo". While so many Christians seem to be content with just going to church and barely getting by in their relationship with God, we should be going above and beyond the norm and in pursuit of a deeper relationship with Him. The Book of Psalms compares this pursuit of a relationship with the Lord that we should have to a deer that is thirsting for a water brook. We should those who are "radical" for Jesus. We should be among those who are told that "it doesn't take all that". We should be those who are called "fanatical" in our love for Jesus. It is pretty obvious that Enoch was on the "radical side". His relationship with the Lord went way past just a Sunday morning church service or "casual Christianity". If it hadn't, the only thing that we might know about him would be just his name-- and it would be just another name among a genealogy that stretched out over thousands of years.

Even from such a brief testimony of his life, there is so much that we can learn. What have you learned this morning? Is your relationship with the Lord "status quo" or "radical"? Are you pursuing your relationship with Him, or is it just a "church thing" to you? Are you acting like everyone else, or is there some sort of obvious distinction between you and those who don't profess to know the Lord?

Have a great day. Has Enoch's life taught you anything this morning about your own life and walk with the Lord?

For further reading:
Genesis 5:22-24
Psalm 42:1
2 Kings 2:11
1 John 3:10
Ephesians 5:1
2 Corinthians 5:20