January 19 - The Positiveness of Faith
Scripture
- Hebrews 11:13-16 All these died in faith, without receiving the promises, but having seen them and having welcomed them from a distance, and having confessed that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. For those who say such things make it clear that they are seeking a country of their own. And indeed if they had been thinking of that country from which they went out, they would have had opportunity to return. But as it is, they desire a better country, that is a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God; for He has prepared a city for them.
Observation
Not Abraham, Isaac, or Jacob, ever possessed the Promised Land. In fact it was almost 500 years after Jacob died that Israel first began to possess Canaan. All these died in faith, without receiving the promises. Far from being a lament, however, this statement is a positive declaration that these men died in perfect hope and assurance of fulfillment. For the person of faith, God's promise is as good as the reality. His promise of the glory ahead was as encouraging and certain to the patriarchs as actually possessing it could have been.
These men of faith did not know what was happening. God had given them no inside information, no word as to when or how the promises would be fulfilled. He only gave the promises, and that was enough. They had a sampling of the Promised Land. They walked on it and pastured their flocks on it and raised their children on it, but they were not impatient to possess it. It was enough to possess it from a distance, because their primary concern was for a better country, that is a heavenly one.
In the meantime they were quite happy to be strangers and exiles on the earth. In the ancient world strangers were often regarded with hatred, suspicion, and contempt. They had few rights, even by the standards of that day. They were also exiles, pilgrims or sojourners. They were refugees in their own Promised Land. But these faithful patriarchs were passing through Canaan to a better place, and they did not mind.
The most positive thing about our faith is not what we can see or hold or measure, but the promise that one day we will forever be with the Lord. Christians whose faith does not extend to heaven will have their eyes on the things of this world and will wonder why they are not happier in the Lord. Nothing in this life, including God's most abundant earthly blessings, will give a believer the satisfaction and joy that come with absolute assurance of future glory.
David declared, "One thing I have asked from the Lord, that I shall seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord" (Ps. 27:4).
Job, after unbelievable trials, destitution, and illness, could say, "As for me, I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last He will take His stand on the earth. Even after my skin is destroyed, yet from my flesh I shall see God" (Job 19:25-26).
This is the hope and the security of the believer—the positiveness of faith.
It is people of such faith that God blesses. He is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them. Regardless of what we are in ourselves, if we trust Him, God is not ashamed to be called our God. The patriarchs honored God, and God honored them. Nothing is so honoring to Him as the life of faith. In fact, nothing honors Him but the life of faith.
Understanding
What is God saying to me?
This is where this issue of faith must really take hold for us – even if we never receive the promises as we envisioned, our hope and assurance is in God who will do what He promised.
Even if my sojourn through this world is not the way I expected it to go I am confident that God would have used me in some way to accomplish His purposes.
And there is no thought of going back to where I came from – I have burned the ships and there is only one way to go – pressing on the road of faith that God has me on.
Life Application
What will I do about it?
Am I okay if I never see the promise of God the way I envisioned it? My spirit says yes but my humanness squirms. I want God’s way as long as it is my way – but God I surrender my selfishness and ego-centric thinking. This is not about you pleasing me, it is about me pleasing you so that you are not ashamed to be called my God. I believe in You and I want to live that belief so strongly that you are pleased to be known as my God.
Father today I surrender my pride that drives much of my wanting you to perform these great things in and through me. Humbly I come to You for I know that you alone satisfy.