This morning my time with the Lord was in Hebrews 11:1 - 16. It has been a hard month. I looked and although I have been in Bible study pretty much every day, I had slacked off a bit in my devotional time with the Lord.
There were several issues that had been weighing on my mind. I wrote them down and began to pray over them, but got the sense I needed refreshing in the Word. I did.
I have read Hebrews 11 many times, have part of it memorized. You probably do as well. It is the faith hall of fame. This time through I noticed a thread that you probably have seen but I have not put together. The theme deals with the substance of faith.
First, in verse 3 we believe that the world was not made out of what is visable. Abel gave a better sacrifice but was not given direction to do so. Enoch did not see death and was not seen because God took him up. Noah was warned about things not seen. Abraham left his home not knowing where he was going and was given a child when Sarah was unable to conceive. So we see that faith means we believe in the:
This is not an easy assignment. But there is more. I will circle back to Noah specifically tomorrow.
I have read Hebrews 11 many times, have part of it memorized. You probably do as well. It is the faith hall of fame. This time through I noticed a thread that you probably have seen but I have not put together. The theme deals with the substance of faith.
First, in verse 3 we believe that the world was not made out of what is visable. Abel gave a better sacrifice but was not given direction to do so. Enoch did not see death and was not seen because God took him up. Noah was warned about things not seen. Abraham left his home not knowing where he was going and was given a child when Sarah was unable to conceive. So we see that faith means we believe in the:
- Not visible
- Not directed
- Not seen
- Not knowing
- Not able
This is not an easy assignment. But there is more. I will circle back to Noah specifically tomorrow.
I needed this post today (it could have been every day, in reality). One thing that leaped out to me with Abel, not that he was undirected, although that reinforces the lesson, but that exercising real faith that is recorded in heaven doesn't always turn out "well." Consider vs. 36-38 to come. I would imagine Abel might have thought, as the first blow from Cain fell, "Opps; I must have missed it...."
ReplyDeleteThe last few months has caused me to reevaluate everything I'm aware of in my life to the foundations I laid nearly six decades ago. It's like I'm starting all over again, and perhaps I am. For 45 years I had the privilege of living with and closely observing a woman of quiet but rock-solid faith. As I've reviewed our lives together I am astonished over and over at what some of the decisions we made, as best we knew by faith, cost her personally. And a number of them didn't turn out "well" by earthly standards. I never saw her once, in 45 years, question anything, whether we decided it together or she was following me because I thought it was right (and I'm not claiming I was). Some of them really didn't turn out "well," but it seems that's not a reliable evaluator.
Perhaps the thing I am missing most without her is the inability to discuss decisions with her, talk through situations, pray together and listen to her wisdom and insights on the matters that face us. I now need to do most of that myself.
I'm learning to walk by faith all over again. I look forward to your continuing insights, Mike.