ON THE VANGUARD

DEDICATED
"Enoch walked with God; then he was no more, because God took him away."
Genesis 5:24

The Bible tells us little concerning the life of Enoch, but what it does tell us is a lesson we can all learn from. Quite simply, Enoch walked with God and God took him away. But what does that mean? And more importantly, what can we gain personally from mimicking the lifestyle of Enoch?
The name Enoch is translated in the Hebrew as CHANOWK, which means dedicated. Enoch's father, Jared, named his son in faith as one who would be dedicated to a person or being. From the simple statues that follow, we read that Enoch dedicated himself to God. As verse 24 shares, Enoch walked with God. Walked, when translated in Hebrew, is the word HALAK. While the meaning can literally mean 'to walk', it also means to 'live a specific manner of life'. Enoch lived a specific manner of life that pleased God.
Lastly, I want to look at the word 'took'. Again, when looking at the Hebrew, the word 'took' is translated LAQACH. The true meaning of 'took' then is 'to get, seize, acquire, or marry'. When I read that, I immediately thought about how marriage works physically here on earth. When I married in 1998, my then wife took on my name and moved in to my apartment. She became part of me and shared all my things. Here, we can see that because Enoch was dedicated to God and lived a specific manner of life that so grabbed God's attention, God married Enoch and took him away to live with Him in His heavenly home.
Enoch's lifestyle should be one that we adapt as our own. Revelation 3:16 tells us that God will vomit from His mouth anyone who is lukewarm. The preference is to be hot for God. Enoch was hot for God. Passion for God burned inside Enoch as a pleasing aroma that caught God's attention just like the perfume worn by a woman that catches mine.
This is what I desire. I want to burn as a pleasing aroma for God that it is written of me that I was dedicated to God and lived a manner of life specific to God's pleasing that wooed Him, and as such, was taken in marriage by God. But I cannot be pleasing if I hold to sin. This is why it is written in Hebrews 12:1 to throw off the sin that entangles us. Sin makes us smell like manure. I have never once seen on the shelf of a department store the fragrance, Manure. There is a reason...because it stinks! With that said then, why do we walk around with it on, living a double life of saying we are Christ followers yet living in the outhouse?
Perhaps this thought is a little more blunt than I normally am, but I have realized more so in the last few days that I cannot continue to live around the toilet and still expect to smell like roses. It is time that we decide whether we will be hot or cold. And if we chose hot, then burn with passion and in obedience for God. Be dedicated and live a specific manner of life, for God is looking for His spotless bride. I warn you, however, lest you forget, that indecision is also a decision. Chose your dedication wisely.