I’ve always thought the Old Testament character Enoch is somewhat enigmatic. Genesis shows that his lifespan was only one third the number of years that everyone else lived at that time, and “then he was no more, because God took him away.” The apostle Jude adds to the mystery by attributing prophecies to Enoch that are described in a historical book that is not part of the Biblical canon. Hebrews makes it clear that Enoch was a man who pleased God, and that’s why he was taken away without experiencing death.  

But how, exactly, did Enoch please God? While the Bible doesn’t give specifics, Genesis 5:24 tells us that “Enoch walked faithfully with God.” Which brings me to another question…

What does it mean “to walk with God?” 

I don’t know Enoch, so I can't answer this question based on his life, but I have found some answers as I observe the life of my 89-year-old friend Teodora. By the time I met her over twenty years ago she had already experienced more than one lifetime’s worth of hardship, including several years as a single mother, followed by marriage to an unfaithful husband whose second wife actually put a witch’s curse on her! But Teodora stayed close to God through the trials, teaching her children to love Him, and sharing the message of repentance and forgiveness with everyone she meets. Rather than spending her time worrying over her own problems, she wakes up at 4:00 in the morning to pray for ME and for other global workers around the world. Teodora has never been a vocational worker herself, but she is the most faithful servant of God that I have ever known. 

Unlike Enoch, Teodora will probably not be “taken away” without experiencing physical death. But both of these saints have taught me the secret to longevity in our Christian life, and it’s not running from one good activity to the next, wearing ourselves out in the process. The secret is taking slow and faithful steps, following God and fulfilling our vows day after day. (Psalm 61:8) 

The secret is to walk with God.