By the time Whitney and I got in the truck after Bible class last night and turned on the radio, the Rangers were down 17-0 to the M’s. We started praying for a quick score and an onside kick.
Good grief.
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The writer of Hebrews walks us through the hallowed Faith Ring of Honor in chapter eleven, biblical hero by biblical hero. Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Samuel, David. By their faith, the writer makes clear, these people conquered kingdoms, shut the mouths of lions, quenched the fury of the flames, and “gained what was promised.”
Then the author has the audacity to commend disciples of Jesus — the Church, you, me! — to run the race the same way these heroes did.
Excuse me?
You want me to be like Abraham? You want me to be like Moses? Are you kidding? Why don’t you just set me up for a lifetime of cruel disappointment? I can never live up to that. Who can?
Before we check the “NA” box on this one, we might want to consider one thing: as Christians, we are extraordinary, we are super, we are heroes; not because of anything we’ve done or can do, but because of what God through Christ is doing in us and with us.
When we live by faith, we bear witness to God and God bears witness to us. Our lives become proof that faith in God works. Despite our weaknesses and shortcomings. Probably precisely because of our weaknesses and shortcomings.
We’re not perfect. We’ll never be perfect this side of glory. But our Father is working to make us perfect, we are “being saved,” in the everyday middle of running the race in faith.
“Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith.” ~Hebrews 12:2
Peace,
Allan
I was lucky enough NOT to be at the game last night, but I did suffer through the one on Tuesday. Holland made Feldman look like Walter Johnson.
Hey: my first sermon at 15 was on Hebrews 11. Really good stuff, and it starts with the first verse, maybe my favorite verse in the whole of scripture.
And faith did not help our boys last night.