Heb 11:13 These all died by way of faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off. And they were persuaded of them and embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. 14 For they who say such things declare plainly that they seek a fatherland. 15 And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from which they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned. 16 But now they stretch forth to a better fatherland, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them. 17 By faith Abraham, being tested, offered up Isaac. And he who had received the promises offered up his only-begotten son,
Life is tough; it’s not an easy journey. Things happen, we make “not so bright” decisions, we get involved in things we should not.
Sometimes we believe that we have received a ‘promise’ and we begin to build our lives on that promise. We move towards a better life based on the promise, yet, for some of us, the promise will not materialize and that is just the plain old truth.
Heb 11:13 These all died by way of faith, not having received the promises,:
There it is. Some of the greatest `fathers of faith`, whose names have been captured in the “Faith Hall of Fame”, died without living or receiving the fullness of the promise they believed in and hoped for.
Yet, they never, never, never gave up on the promise. They continued to walk and live by and in faith.
Why did they not let go and turn into a different direction? Why did they not say: “enough of this faith stuff, God will never come through for me, it’s all a waste of time”
“Heb 11:13 These all died by way of faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off. And they were persuaded of them and embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth”
They were persuaded. They were convinced and they embraced it. They believed that something better, something greater than the existence of `struggle` awaits them. They confessed it and believed that this all is just a temporary situation, that a better place and time has been promised and that they will walk in it. They realized that not everything starts and ends on this earth and in this earthly existence.
Even if I live to be ninety years old and even if I have to endure challenges and struggles, so what?
I am a pilgrim, a traveler through this time and space. What is ninety years compared to eternity?
The faith I apply now, will determine how and where I will spend eternity. That is the best ‘long term’ investment ever.
“Heb11: 16 But now they stretch forth to a better fatherland, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them.”
Because I trust and stretch my faith, hoping and believing in a promised heaven, God, the Creator is not ashamed to be associated with me and neither am I ashamed to be associated with Him. He is, was and always will be my God.
Abraham was tested and he passed and because he passed, God gave us a promise, an acceptance and salvation through the sacrifice of Christ.
What hope and glory and promises still await us, when we endure the tests, pass them and continue in hope against hope?
Mat 25:21 His lord said to him, Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful over a few things; I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.
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