"What Doth the Lord Require of Thee"

"WHAT doth the Lord require of thee but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?" The Lord then requires us to walk with him. This expression signifies a close union and communion with God. When two persons walk out with each other it is a sign of companionship and love and harmony. They go in the same direction, over the same ground. They converse of things of mutual interest. They are one in spirit. Man cannot, of course, literally walk with God, as friend with friend, in the sense of physical companionship. "But Enoch walked with God three hundred years." His piety was not of the spasmodic sort, which we generally see in modern revivals, with religious interest apparently up to fever heat, to relapse in a few weeks or months to the temperature of an iceberg. It was steady, earnest, faithful service every day, for three hundred years. What an example was this! And he lived in an age of moral corruption which soon required the cleansing waters of the deluge to wash away the sinners to destruction. Yet he was contaminated not by it all.

Is not God the same today? Is he not just as powerful? Have we not equal facilities, means of grace as potent, as Enoch had? Is it not for God's glory and men's good that they should walk with him? Should we not find God a precious companion? It was for this purpose that God created man, that he should participate in his goodness and enjoy his blessing. God "hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, . . . that they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us." Acts 17:26, 27.

It is not for our good or the Lord's pleasure that we live at a distance from him in coldness and barrenness, backsliding and spiritual death. He would be greatly pleased if we would draw near to him and dwell in the sunshine of his favor. Those who gain this experience he will bless with his grace here, and take at last, as he did Enoch, to the kingdom of glory above. There seems to be a sort of progression in the prophet's expression, doing justly, loving mercy, and walking humbly with God,—a sort of climax. Justice is the first and fundamental principle of true religion. Any character not built upon that, is founded on sand. We must love righteousness and hate iniquity, and see to it that we do right in all things. To "love mercy" is a harder requirement for human nature to learn than to be just. To be kind, forbearing, and forgiving under abuse, keeping the spirit sweet and tender, we must partake of Christ's nature. These must be both practiced before we can walk with God in communion of soul to any great degree. When this experience is learned, what more remains but the finishing touch of immortality and being transferred to a world where sin can never come? Thus it was with Enoch. "He was not, for God took him."

The marginal reading of our text, which is the literal Hebrew, seems to shed light on this point. Instead of, "to walk humbly with thy God," the margin reads, "to humble thyself to walk with God," making the humbling of the heart a necessary prerequisite before we can walk with him in sweet companionship. Other scriptures seem to imply the same. Christ teaches us that before we can enjoy true rest in him we must first learn the lesson of meekness and lowliness. "Learn of me, for I am meek and lowly in heart, and ye shall find rest to your souls." He indicates the lesson we must learn before true rest and peace can be obtained. "Thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones." Isa. 57:15. It is plain, from this text, with whom the Lord will dwell. Our hearts are too full of pride, self-complacency, and conceit; and there is too much of the love of the world in them; too much desire to have our own way, for God to dwell with us. "The Lord beholdeth the proud afar off." "Every one who is proud of heart is an abomination to the Lord." Should he come to us with power, and enable us to do anything marked in his service we should be in danger of taking the credit to ourselves which belonged to him. "Humility is a sense of our unworthiness on account of imperfection and sinfulness." When we realize how poor and weak and unworthy we are, and feel our utter helplessness, and our great need of the Lord's help to be right in his sight, or to accomplish anything in his cause, then we have come to the very point where he loves to bestow his blessing upon us. Then he will use us and work through us.

So it was with Moses. He thought he could go out and interfere in behalf of his people and lead them out of the land of bondage, inasmuch as he was a man "mighty in word and deed." But it took forty years for the Lord to take the self-conceit out of him. When he did call him to go, he felt his utter weakness, and excused himself. Now the Lord could and did use him. David had to go through the humbling experience of trial and persecution before he was permitted to fill a high position. Joseph must become a slave and spend weary years in prison before being exalted to a princely station. God causes his servants to pass through bitter trials to teach them this lesson of self-humiliation, before he can use them in important trusts. Humbling the heart before God must precede the special presence and communion with him. It is only then we can really feel our need of Divine help. Could we feel this need as we ought, we might enjoy much more largely of his blessing. Before we can "hunger and thirst after righteousness" and "be filled," we must realize our weakness, depravity and utter unworthiness. Poor Jacob, when brought into great straits, where life and all he had was hanging in doubt before Esau and his four hundred men, felt he must have help from God, and wrestled for his life with energy born of helplessness and faith, He "prevailed" and was called Israel.

We are living when the "love of many has waxed cold." When the "form of godliness" has taken the place of the "power." When professors of religion are "lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God." When general lukewarmness prevails, and God is about to spue out of his mouth, in disgust, many who call themselves his. Living, persevering faith is becoming very scarce. It is a dangerous age. Evil prevails everywhere. Skepticism is becoming prevalent even in the professed church of Christ. Few, comparatively, believe in vital godliness. The world courts the church and the church courts the world, and they are fast uniting in spirit.

But God is unchangeable. He requires us to walk with him, and we must humble our hearts before him to do so. We are in the perils of the last days. God has precious jewels, here and there, hidden in the rubbish of the world, who are sighing and crying for the abominations done in the land. These must be searched out, and brought to the Lord. Though skepticism does come in like a flood, God's word is just as true as it ever was, "The foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his." "It is easier for heaven and earth to pass" away than one word of his to fail. He requires us to walk with him. How reasonable this is. If we hope to live with him eternally, should we not seek to become acquainted with him beforehand? Should we esteem it a hardship to commune with our best friend? Should we not esteem it an infinite condescension for him to permit us to come to him and to walk with him? How grievous it must be in his sight for us to prefer the world and its vain pleasures to his society and presence, If we do thus we come not up to his requirement, and can never dwell in his presence.

God will take nothing less than our heart's best affections. Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, soul, mind, and strength. This is the first and great commandment of all. When we do this, the Lord will come in to us and sup with us and we with him. He will give us joys a thousand times more precious and satisfying than any this world can give. The peace of God will rule and reign in our hearts, that peace which passeth all understanding. How precious is the love of Christ. How sweet to commune with him, and to know that our ways please him, When his spirit witnesses with ours that we are the children of God, we fear not the future, we can sleep well with a conscience at peace with God, we are prepared to live or die. The king of terrors hath no terror to us. Earth's joys are unsatisfying. Fleeting and passing away are they all. Like the apples of Sodom, they look attractive but are ashes within. God's love is a peaceful sea, deep and pure. Why will we not learn to walk with him? This he requires of every one of us.