Good Morning! I have missed writing and sharing the devotionals with you; however, in my absence, Jen has shared the Word of God beautifully and I have enjoyed being on the receiving end of her devotionals this past month. The Spirit moves through us all as we open ourselves up to the work of the Word to stir and increase our faith. Thank you, Jen!
In our passage this morning, we continue with the letter to the Hebrews that began, yesterday. These heroes of the faith are described as calculating—in Gk. λογισάμενος or logisamenos—meaning through logical thought they weighed the circumstances before them and they formed a conclusion to stand in a place based solely on what they had experienced or understood about God’s character and power written in His Word and lived through previous generations. Conclusion: If God revealed his faithfulness in miraculous ways in the past, he will be faithful to reveal himself and manifest his promises to every child of faith. Period.
These heroes are not standing on the foundation of wishful thinking, they are firmly placing their present hope in what the Word of God has revealed to his people in the past while looking for his goodness to manifest in the present and future. How far into the future will that faith need to sustain God’s people? Well, for many of these biblical heroes they had to hold onto their faith for a very long, long time. Some even died holding onto their faith in the work of God through future generations.
Our faith isn’t just important to our Author; it is His passionate life-giving work. Jesus died to rewrite our lives according to the living Word of God—the character of Jesus. Spiritually, we arrive into this world lost and blind. Jesus comes to open our eyes and help us see through experiential learning opportunities that God exists and is a rewarder of those who seek him (Heb 11:6). The more we pursue God, the more we understand his character and desire to emulate him.
We were created to bring honor and glory to our Maker….our Creator. Without the saving work of Jesus, the guidance of the Spirit, and the confident application of our faith in the Lord’s goodness and purpose, we are incapable of pleasing God. So, let’s continue to pursue our Lord and increase our faith, today, because we are seeking to understand a very BIG God who loves to release unfathomable grace to his children!
Hebrews 11: 17-28 NLT 17 It was by faith that Abraham offered Isaac as a sacrifice when God was testing him. Abraham, who had received God’s promises, was ready to sacrifice his only son, Isaac, 18 even though God had told him, “Isaac is the son through whom your descendants will be counted.”[a] 19 Abraham reasoned that if Isaac died, God was able to bring him back to life again. And in a sense, Abraham did receive his son back from the dead.
20 It was by faith that Isaac promised blessings for the future to his sons, Jacob and Esau.
21 It was by faith that Jacob, when he was old and dying, blessed each of Joseph’s sons and bowed in worship as he leaned on his staff.
22 It was by faith that Joseph, when he was about to die, said confidently that the people of Israel would leave Egypt. He even commanded them to take his bones with them when they left.
23 It was by faith that Moses’ parents hid him for three months when he was born. They saw that God had given them an unusual child, and they were not afraid to disobey the king’s command.
24 It was by faith that Moses, when he grew up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter. 25 He chose to share the oppression of God’s people instead of enjoying the fleeting pleasures of sin. 26 He thought it was better to suffer for the sake of Christ than to own the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking ahead to his great reward. 27 It was by faith that Moses left the land of Egypt, not fearing the king’s anger. He kept right on going because he kept his eyes on the one who is invisible. 28 It was by faith that Moses commanded the people of Israel to keep the Passover and to sprinkle blood on the doorposts so that the angel of death would not kill their firstborn sons.
Prayer: Lord, when we are actually called according to your name, it requires an act of our faith to follow you. Thank you for rewriting our lives in your love. Thank you for stretching our faith as we pursue your goodness by choosing to allow your passionate work to bring holy love to our lives. Change is never easy and having the faith to believe you have only better things for our lives will be our challenge. Yet, we want you and the life you died to provide us. So, continue to refresh us in the Spirit and motivate us to want all you have for us. Make us heroes of the faith who prevail in your power and grace. In Jesus’ name. Amen.