Greg Laurie - Friday, September 28, 2018

Hope for Late Bloomers

Enoch lived sixty-five years, and begot Methuselah. After he begot Methuselah, Enoch walked with God three hundred years, and had sons and daughters.

—Genesis 5:21–22

The Bible tells us that Enoch started walking with God when he was 65 years old. It appears that the birth of his son, Methuselah, brought about Enoch’s conversion. The name Methuselah means “When he is dead, it shall be sent.” Because Enoch walked with God, it was revealed to him that when his son died, judgment would come.

And how long did Methuselah live? He lived 969 years. This tells us that God takes no delight in bringing judgment. Sometimes we wonder why God hasn’t come back to bring justice to this planet. Why hasn’t He returned for us yet? Here’s the answer:

“In the last days scoffers will come, mocking the truth and following their own desires. They will say, ‘What happened to the promise that Jesus is coming again? From before the times of our ancestors, everything has remained the same since the world was first created’ ” (2 Peter 3:3–4 NLT).

But then God gives us the answer:

“A day is like a thousand years to the Lord, and a thousand years is like a day. The Lord isn’t really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent” (verses 8–9 NLT). God is waiting.

God always keeps His appointments, by the way. He is never late. He always shows up on time, and He has an appointed time that He will return to this earth.

He is waiting for more people to come into His kingdom.
Enoch walked with God during one of the darkest times in human history. And if Enoch was able to live a godly life at a time like that, then we can live godly lives as well.