Reading: Gen 5. 19-23
“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 attested as having pleased God.” Heb 11:5
Usually, we only speak good of departed souls. Once, a filthy, arrogant and wicked miser died. Not wanting to hurt the sentiments of the bereaved with their ‘truth’, everybody at the funeral praised him as generous and compassionate. Listening to all the false appraisals, the widow beckoned to her son and said; “son, did you hear what they said about your dad? Go to the casket, watch closely and make sure it’s your dad indeed!”
If you live a good life, people will certainly praise you when you die. The real testimony you get for your life, however, is not at death but while you are still alive.
Enoch lived a life of faith. What does it mean? He lived a life totally surrendered to God. He was always pleasing God. Somehow, he wanted to bring a smile upon God’s face! He always sought God’s will and obeyed. He pleased God by keeping himself holy enough to walk with Him.
This doesn’t mean that everyone was pleased with Enoch. I am sure Enoch displeased many of his contemporaries. You cannot please God and men at the same time. (‘Men’, here, means people with human understanding… people without Godly insight!) Even when people disliked Enoch for his piety, he stood alone and pleased God. However, even people who did not appreciate him attested to one thing from their heart: “This guy only has one thing in his mind… somehow to please his God!”
Maybe people of his time considered Enoch crazy, a misfit for earthly living… Yes! May be that’s the reason why God said, “come on boy, I will put you in a place fit for you!”
Do you want to live a life that will bring a smile upon the face of your God? That would be costly, but worth it. Will people around you… your family, friends, neighbours, colleagues, fellow travellers in a metro, grocery shop attendant… attest your life as one pleasing only your God?
Prayer: Lord, help me bring a smile upon your face, Amen!
Further reading: Job. 1: 1-8; Lu ke 7. 2-11
