Faith #7 (Wanting more)

 January 11, 2023

 

It stinks that faith does not always achieve goals or accomplish anything directly. Hebrews 11:13 admits, “All these people died in faith without receiving the promises, but they saw the promises from a distance and welcomed them. They confessed that they were strangers and immigrants on earth.” [CEB]

 

If this is the reality of faith, why try? It seems like a lot of work with nothing to show for. Abraham left everything and everyone (except his wife and nephew) to chase a faith-oriented dream. What did he get for his sacrifice? He got one son (of the promise). God then asked him to sacrifice that son. That’s it. The key words, "without receiving the promises," are haunting.

 

Here’s the problem. In the Hebrew mindset and language, there is no word for “future.” There are few words translated “future” in modern translations, but the reality is we cannot see the future. We can only see the past and stumble backward into what we call the “future.” How could they see “the promises from a distance?” I guess it goes back to the definition of faith in verse one: “Faith is the reality of what we hope for, the proof of what we don’t see.” [CEB]

 

We believe in a lot of things because we see the results but not the actual thing. For instance, we cannot see the wind, but we talk about its effects all the time. We say, "The wind blew the leaves across the yard." We observe an event, and we name it something we do not see. Today, unseen to the eyes, we can see germs through microscopes and attribute many illnesses to them.

 

Ever feel like you don't fit in this world? Ever suspect you were designed for so much more? Join the club. "People who say this kind of thing make it clear that they are looking for a homeland." [Hebrews 11:14 CEB] While we should seek the good and prosperity of the community in which we find ourselves (see Jeremiah 29:7), we must never lose sight of the fact that a follower of Jesus is not bound by this world. Our hope is not in the present. Our security is not in our stuff. Our state is not dependent on circumstances.

 

Instead of returning to this world, faith inspires people to move into the unknown and unseen “future,” dependent on absolute trust in God. We read, “But at this point in time, they are longing for a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore, God isn’t ashamed to be called their God—he has prepared a city for them.” [Hebrews 11:16 CEB]

 

I am flabbergasted. God takes the initiative and gives us grace. Our response in faith has two effects. First, God is not ashamed to be called our God. Think about all the destructive, dirty, and disgusting things we do... be honest. Despite all that, God is still willing to identify with us. We are His and He is ours. Then, as a bonus, God has prepared "a city" for those who respond in faith. Imagine that. We are immigrants on earth, yet citizens of Heaven. We don’t see it now, but it’s already ours.

 

That is why we try.