Make time for retreat. Also, according to one author, Enoch’s “walk with God” often
involved a need to withdraw by himself for a time (from the midst of his busy domestic
and professional life) in order to regain perspective. He felt a hunger and
thirst for quality time alone with God. So he would take mini-retreats into the
mountains to rivet his attention on God.
Jesus did the same thing often. After hours of
interacting with and helping people, he would withdraw into a quiet place to be
in solitude with God. He would often spend whole nights in prayer and
meditation by himself. This example has been emulated by spiritually-inclined
people all through the centuries of time.
So Enoch’s “walk with God” involved the same retreats.
Ellen White, in her book Patriarchs and
Prophets, says that he would emerge from these sanctuaries
in time strengthened and empowered to pour his energies into his family and the
people he felt called to share God’s love with.
So there are two simple ways in which Enoch
learned how to walk with God and keep his heart undivided and focused in the
middle of conflicting demands, using everyday life to point him to God and
develop his spirituality.
One day, to show the world what happens to those
with “pure hearts,” to give hope for the reality of God’s promise of intimacy
and meaningful relationship with Him, as God and Enoch are walking along
together, God simply says, “Let’s go a bit further today, Enoch. I want you to
see My home this time. Come on home and live with Me.”
“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall
see God.” You only see what you have in your heart. Only those who are willing
and intentional about minimizing the many distractions for the heart, only
those who are disciplined enough to focus their attention on God, only those
who are willing to be single-minded in their passion to grow their
spirituality, those are the ones who experience the depth of life, the divine
encounter, God in the heart.
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