Scripture Reading(s)
Hebrews 11:1-3, 8-16
11:1 Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.
11:2 Indeed, by faith our ancestors received approval.
11:3 By faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the word of God, so that what is seen was made from things that are not visible.
11:8 By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to set out for a place that he was to receive as an inheritance; and he set out, not knowing where he was going.
11:9 By faith he stayed for a time in the land he had been promised, as in a foreign land, living in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise.
11:10 For he looked forward to the city that has foundations, whose architect and builder is God.
11:11 By faith he received power of procreation, even though he was too old–and Sarah herself was barren–because he considered him faithful who had promised.
11:12 Therefore from one person, and this one as good as dead, descendants were born, “as many as the stars of heaven and as the innumerable grains of sand by the seashore.”
11:13 All of these died in faith without having received the promises, but from a distance they saw and greeted them. They confessed that they were strangers and foreigners on the earth,
11:14 for people who speak in this way make it clear that they are seeking a homeland.
11:15 If they had been thinking of the land that they had left behind, they would have had opportunity to return.
11:16 But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God; indeed, he has prepared a city for them.
Reflections
This passage touches on a challenge that we as Christians face daily. The concept of faith can be split up in two parts: believing in something and living like that belief is real. It is not enough to just simply say you believe in something without actively living that you are backing up what you claim to be true.
This passage begins by explaining that faith is based on so much more then what we can see. It is putting our hope in those things to be true: in this case God’s love and His constant presence in our lives. I love how this passage goes on to explain that Faith is what carries us through to move forward in life knowing that because God said He will be faithful, it means we can rest assured and live our lives each day relying on Him without fear or worry.
Abraham’s life is a true picture of what faith looks like. He believed that God would one day use Him to bring about the future nation of Israel. He believed that God would bring about this promise even though from a human stand point, he and Sarah were too old to have kids. He also believed when God said that He would bring His nation to a promised homeland set aside just for His people.
Faith is what drive us to believe in God’s promises and to keep living each day without the worry that God is faithful in all that He says and does. Faith also gives the unwavering hope that one day we will be with Him forever in our heavenly home (verse 16) and that is what drives us to keep on pressing on through this life that He has given us now to live. Our God is faithful both now and forever more and in eternity to come.
“For he looked forward to the city that has foundations, whose architect and builder is God.”
Abraham only had a promise of the time when God’s kingdom would be on the earth. The patriarchs of our faith never got to see the promise that they longed for. However, we live in this promised time, when the Spirit of God is poured out on the earth. It is easy to neglect this fact and take it for granted but we are living in a truly unique time in history.
Do not buy into the claim that the world is collapsing or that everything is going to pot. The kingdom of God is like leaven in the dough. It will eventually permeate the entire lump of dough. Moreover, go out and be that leaven. Do not leave the world around you unchanged.
He told them still another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into about sixty pounds of flour until it worked all through the dough.” (Matthew 13:33)
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