Last year I went to a museum in our city to see an art exhibition of eighteen portraits of different people who had been affected by The Troubles—a difficult period in the history of Northern Ireland, the place where I live. It was fascinating to see how a very talented local artist had portrayed the various individuals and to read their story profile alongside their image.
When I read Hebrews 11, this is what I imagine a faith exhibition would look like. This famous passage in our Bible has sometimes been referred to as the Faith Hall of Fame or the Heroes of Faith Gallery.
As we are reminded by the writer to the Hebrews of these godly people, it is good to be encouraged and inspired by their faith; but we must be careful not to place any one of them on a pedestal or think of them as having some kind of super faith, for that could actually cause us to feel disheartened or discouraged that we could not live up to their standards or follow in their footsteps. All who are mentioned were human beings, just like us, and each received from God the same gift of faith as we did when we were saved, by grace, through faith. (Ephesians 2:8).
The real, the only hero in this passage is God Himself, the One our faith is received from and placed in. Here, we read of God’s faithfulness to His people and how they were able to live for, trust, and serve Him because they placed a faith-looking-forward hope in the very character, promises, and Word of God, despite their doubts, uncertainties, fears, and failings.
The opening verse in Hebrews 11 gives us a solid definition and sound instruction and tells us what was foundational in the lives of each of the people mentioned in the verses following.
“Now faith is being sure of what we hope for, being convinced of what we do not see.”
– Hebrews 11:1
The words sure and convinced really stand out in this verse. There is no room and no reason for uncertainty or doubt. Faith-filled hope is not foolish optimism nor wishful thinking. Instead, it is anchored to an unshakeable foundation for the past, present, and future.
Our hope is Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith. Our life, in which we walk by faith, begins and finds completion ultimately and only in Him.
And so we fix our eyes on Jesus.
Like us, all those we read of in Hebrews 11 believed in the promises of God, trusted in the Word of God, and lived in the light of it. Perhaps one of your favorite people is mentioned in this passage and it strengthens your heart again to read and be reminded of how God worked in and through them to bring about His purposes and fulfill His promises.
We see faith acted out in obedience in the life of Noah, and faith lived out in relationship in the life of Enoch. A great portion of the passage focuses our attention on Abraham, and through him we see faith demonstrated as He left his homeland for an unknown future, trusted in God’s promise even as his faith was tested, waited even though it seemed impossible that God could fulfill His promise, and showed courageous trust and hope as he prepared to do what made no earthly sense at all. When Abraham had no other reason to believe God would still do it, other than being convinced of God’s character, he still had hope.
The apostle Paul, describes Abraham’s life of faith so well when he says,
“Against hope Abraham believed in hope with the result he became the father of many nations… He did not waver in unbelief about the promise of God but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God. He was fully convinced that what God promised he was also able to do.”
– Romans 4:18–21
Does your faith feel weak?
Have you been waiting so long for God to answer or act that it appears as if He has forgotten?
Is He asking you to take a step of obedience and it just doesn’t seem to make any sense to you at all?
Take heart today as we have considered the faith journey of Abraham, and be encouraged! Abraham’s God is still our God today. He has not changed. He is still the faithful Father who keeps His covenant promises. He fulfills His plans and purposes for His people, and He still is able to do immeasurably more that we could ever ask or imagine.
Abraham understood that living in the hope of God’s promise, even when it looked impossible, was better than living without it. He chose to live in hope rather than giving in to doubt, despair and disappointment.
That choice is ours too.
One other aspect of Abraham’s faith we can learn from is woven throughout the verses in Hebrews 11: He had faith-filled hope in the knowledge that this earth was not his home. Even the Promised Land was not his ultimate destination. Abraham was looking forward to his heavenly home that God had promised and prepared, and this far outweighed any earthly blessing or fulfilled promise he received in his journey of faith on earth.
We have a heavenly home too. There is coming a day when either God will take us to be with Him forever, or else the Lord will return as promised and will usher in His kingdom in a new heaven and a new earth. Our home, where there will be no more sickness or separation, sin or death, tears or sorrow. No more pain or loneliness, no doubt or despair.
Our faith will be made sight, we will see Jesus face to face and we will be with Him forever. This is our hope.
As I consider the hope of the sure and certain future that is promised to all who love and follow Jesus, I think of the millions of our persecuted brothers and sisters across our world today who cling to this hope. When faith in Jesus can cost them their families, their freedom or their very lives, what a witness it is that they stand strong despite all they have to endure. My faith is strengthened by theirs as I read their stories and lift them to the Lord in prayer. He is their hope.
And so, dear friend, I pray today, asking our God of hope to strengthen and encourage our hearts, as we walk by faith, with our eyes fixed on Jesus.
