Tuesday, May 10: Hebrews 11- Faith exemplified.

I took a slow read through this chapter, not being in a hurry, and allowed thoughts of faith to seep deeply into my being.

Faith is a ‘verb’. That’s one of the insights I gained on my reading journey today. Grammatically, faith is a noun but it results in doing something.  Faith results in action. Faith gives the strength, power, propulsion, energy, nerve, stamina, fortitude, and courage to do things that please God. Faith is not static,it is active. That’s what I mean by faith being a verb!

By faith, men and women did this, that and another thing. Reading this litany of faith, I was deeply impacted by the nameless multitude at the end of the chapter who withstood horrific fates, choosing to believe and follow the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ rather than capitulate. I thought how soft I am and how strong they were.

I also contemplated creation.   Yes, it is faith that allows me to believe that in the beginning God created everything from nothing… Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. … By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God's command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible (1, 3).

In our 21st century world science is divided between those who see God’s hand in creation (or at least a ‘first cause’) and others who don’t, with the latter having the primary voice these days. Voices can argue and debate back and forth on creation…

Faith allows me to see God’s creative hand at work designing and creating all things. Faith also allows me to see God’s plan of restoring and redeeming through Jesus Christ, all creation which was marred and corrupted when Adam and Eve sinned way back when in the garden…

Faith is a powerful and beautiful thing…

Lord God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, thank You for being the first cause in my life, for giving me faith to believe You and to believe Your Word. I pray that my life witnesses to faith in You just like the lives of the named and unnamed people do in Chapter 11.

In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, I pray. Amen.

 

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