Contributor: Isekhua Evborokhai
INTRODUCTION
We have come to the final topic of this year’s Bible Study, themed: "A Closer Walk with God." Walking with God demands for a lot of things, like knowing who He is (Dan.11: 32), knowing His attributes (Ps.24:8, Ps.23:4), separation from certain things, agreement with Him (Amos 3:3), total trust in Him (Job 13:15; Ps.27:3), etc. and by consequence, His blessings will follow. Our text in Gen.17:1 is not just a call to Abram, but a timeless invitation for believers to walk faithfully and closely with the Almighty God. Throughout the course of this year, we have considered rudiments that if adhered with will help sustain our closer walk with God. The topics were broadly based on who we are (The Godly), who God is (His Attributes & His Word) and the benefits of walking closely with Him (enjoying divine faithfulness, healing, righteousness, etc). As we conclude this year’s study, we would consider Abram’s call to walk with God and use it as a yardstick to measure our walk with our Father.
In Genesis 17:1 God called Abram to walk before Him. Before we delve into the text, we would first consider what it means to “Walk Before God”
• WALKING BEFORE GOD
When God calls us to walk before Him, He calls us to intimacy and obedience. It implies living (dwelling) in His presence, maintaining a consciousness of His gaze, and aligning one's life with His will. The Bible in Micah 6:8 summarizes all that it would take to walk before God. The scripture says: "He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God." (NIV)
(a) To Act Justly: This means to live in a way that reflects fairness, integrity, and righteousness in one’s actions, relationships, and decisions. It is about treating others impartially, upholding truth, and ensuring that one's conduct aligns with God's principles of justice as revealed in Scripture (the Word of God). (Leviticus 19:15, Proverbs 21:3)
(b) To Love Mercy: To love mercy is to imitate God, to cherish and actively demonstrate compassion, kindness, and forgiveness in relationships with others. It is more than performing merciful acts; but instead it reflects a deep, heartfelt delight in showing grace and extending God's love to others. It gladdens you that you are able to extend God’s love to others. Whatever you do is not out of compulsion but pleasure. (Exodus 34:6, Luke 6:36)
(c) To Walk Humbly with Your God: It is important to note that it is not just about being humble but walking humbly with God. To walk humbly with God means to live in a close relationship with God characterized by reverence, submission, and a recognition of His greatness. It involves aligning one’s life with His will, depending on Him, and maintaining an attitude of humility in all aspects of life. If you are able to walk humbly with God, there is no way you will not be able to walk humbly with man.
Psalm 15:1-5a (TLB) says of the one who wishes to walk closely with God:
“Lord, who may go and find refuge and shelter in your tabernacle up on your holy hill? 2 Anyone who leads a blameless life and is truly sincere. 3 Anyone who refuses to slander others, does not listen to gossip, never harms his neighbour, 4 speaks out against sin, criticizes those committing it, commends the faithful followers of the Lord, keeps a promise even if it ruins him, 5 does not crush his debtors with high interest rates, and refuses to testify against the innocent despite the bribes offered him”
• KEY SUPPORT SYSTEMS FOR WALKING WITH GOD
Our text in Genesis 17:1 says: “When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to him and said, ‘I am God Almighty; walk before me faithfully and be blameless.’” (NIV)
From this text, we will observe three key elements that I believe are essential for a successful, rewarding and fulfilling walk with God.
1. Revelation/Knowledge (I am God Almighty)
The knowledge of the supreme power and sufficiency of One (El Shaddai) who calls us to walk with Him the key foundation for walking closely with Him. A deep understanding of God's character fosters trust and dependence. In Exodus 6:3: God reiterates this name to Moses, connecting it with His covenant faithfulness to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. And in 2 Corinthians 12:9, the apostle Paul tells us that God's grace and power are sufficient for our weakness, affirming the ongoing relevance of trusting in God Almighty.
2. Faithful Obedience (walk before me faithfully)
Obedience is the outward expression of an inward trust in God. It shows that we believe in His wisdom, promises, and plan. Faithful obedience involves surrendering our own desires, plans, and understanding to align with God’s will. (Jesus, in Luke 22:42). It also often requires perseverance through challenges, trusting that God’s way is always best. (Job 23:10-12, Daniel 3:17-16)
3. Blameless Relationship with God (and be blameless)
To be blameless before God means to live a life of integrity, uprightness, and wholehearted devotion to God. It is not about being sinless (as only Jesus was sinless) but about striving for righteousness, walking in obedience to God, and maintaining a sincere heart that seeks His will. For believers, obtaining a blameless stance with God comes from God’s grace through faith in Jesus Christ, who imputes His righteousness to believers. Ephesians 1:4 says: "For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight." but because a relationship is not a one day “incident”, we need to sustain this “blameless stance.”
Psalm 24:3-4 says: “Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord? or who shall stand in his holy place? 4 He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully.”
CONCLUSION
The same call God made to Abram, He’s made to one and all through the ages. Abram’s call was not just about blessings or land but about walking closely with God in a personal relationship. It was a call to be set apart, to leave his old life. Today, God calls us to be holy and distinct from the world. 1 Peter 2:9 says: "But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light."
Just as Abram responded with faith and obedience, we are invited to do the same, stepping into God’s eternal purposes and promises. Remember, our walk with the Lord is for as long as we are alive, not just for a moment or a period of time. So, before we go on our merry ways, let’s pause and reflect.What steps have you taken, or will you take to walk closer with the Lord, for the rest of your life.
