Fellowship With God

But Noah found favor with the Lord. This is the account of Noah and his family. Noah was a righteous man, the only blameless person living on earth at the time, and he walked in close fellowship with God. [Genesis 6.8-9]

Noah evidently was doing something right. What was it? All we have been told is that Noah (1) was a righteous man, (2) was blameless, and (3) he walked in close fellowship with God.

What made Noah righteous?

What made Noah blameless?

I can only surmise that it was because he walked in close fellowship with God!

My conclusion then is that there is nothing more important in our existence than to walk in close fellowship with God.

So, how do we do that? Well, fellowship seems to me to start with communication. We need to talk to God. And, we need to listen to God - but then, there's the trick, isn't it?

We have come to know prayer as "talking to God." What does it mean though to listen to God? Good question!

What did it mean for Noah to listen to God? From the Bible it would seem perhaps God actually spoke to Noah. So, for Noah that was easy enough, right?

But for us it doesn't seem so easy... Or does it? 

We are blessed and fortunate to be given the Bible - God's Story. While we should never be guilty of worshiping the Bible as a book, we should be highly attentive to God's Story found therein. We are greatly favored to have God's Story because He speaks to us clearly from it!

While I think each of us should have anticipation of God "speaking to us" in the conventional understanding of the term, we should not do so at the expense of anticipating Him speaking to us through the Bible!

In my life, I have concluded that my reading of the Bible is part of my prayer life. I bring prayers to God in speaking to Him and then ask Him to speak to me when I read the Bible. I believe He has done just that too.

Does that mean God will not speak to me any other way? I certainly hope not! And, my experience has been that He does indeed give inclinations, thoughts, and ideas by His Spirit into my spirit - but, admittedly, I struggle to discern that communication. However, I know I can trust God's Story from the Bible! And, I do look forward to a time when my ability to 'listen' to God improves to the point that He speaks directly to me and I actually 'hear' it.

Fellowship with God is just that - fellowship. It is the foundation for being found righteous and blameless before God. Fellowship with God is on His terms, and His terms are... "Jesus."

Father, thank You for giving me the confidence that You speak to me every day through the Bible. I look forward to our relationship growing as You change me every day by Your Word - through Jesus!