The Pace of Grace

November 17, 2021

Praying Friends,

Thank you for praying today for our prodigals and for revival. I hope these devotionals will challenge and stretch your faith, and help in the ongoing priority of pleasing God.

William Tyndale said, “There is no work better than to please God; to pour water, to wash dishes, to be a cobbler, or an apostle, all are one; to wash dishes and to preach are all one, as touching the deed, to please God.”

As we continue down the list of faithful believers in Hebrews 11, Enoch is a person who is noted as one who pleased God.

“By faith Enoch was taken up so that he should not see death, and he was not found, because God had taken him. Now before he was taken he was commended as having pleased God” (Hebrews 11:5).

This is the essence of life, living to please God. How is it done?

The account in Genesis 5 gives insight. Enoch was 65 years old when his son Methuselah was born, and this birth became an awakening experience for Enoch. “When Enoch had lived 65 years, he fathered Methuselah. Enoch walked with God after he fathered Methuselah 300 years and had other sons and daughters” (Genesis 5:21-22).

We are not told all the details, but the birth of Methuselah was a turning point in his life. God used the ordinary to bring about the supernatural.

It may be a birth. It may be a death. It may be a conversation. It may be a lightning storm or a starry night. Or it may be something as ordinary as a Wednesday devotional. God can use anything to bring a new awareness of our personal need to please Him.

It is easy to drift along in life, unaware, unconscious, and unconcerned about pleasing God.

After Methuselah’s birth, Enoch walked with God for 300 years. (If you are wondering about the longevity of Enoch’s life, these were pre-flood conditions and lifespan was much longer.) To walk with God means to allow Him to set the direction of the walk and keep in pace with Him: walking the pace of grace.

The pace of grace is keeping in step with our God of grace. He always knows what is best for us. He doesn’t want us to run ourselves ragged. He doesn’t want us living lives of sloth. He doesn’t want us engaged in harmful behavior on either end of the spectrum.

The pace of grace is living in intimate communion with our God. It’s knowing His heartbeat and his deepest desires. It is hearing His voice above the call of the world and the whispers of the enemy.

The pace of grace is walking by faith. “And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him” (Hebrews 11:6).

Walking with God for 300 years reflects the value of consistency and endurance. Enoch was in it for the long haul. Imagine the thrill of being conscious of God in your life for this long?

Enoch was one of two people mentioned in the Bible who didn’t die. He was automatically transferred from the earthly realm into the heavenly realm. One moment he was dealing with the troubles of this world, the next he was enjoying the blessed air of heaven. His walk was not interrupted by the enemy of death.

This is the believers' anticipation. We are waiting for the return of our King and maybe, just maybe, one of these soon-coming days we will continue our walk with God from here to there without experiencing death! Now that would be awesome indeed!

May God deepen our love for Him!

Bryan and Rachel