Wednesday, March 24, 2010

People Before Us!

I have been in a Sunday School class while in the LA area. We have been studying the great book of Hebrews. Chapter 11 is the focus during the last few weeks.

Heb 11:39 These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised. 40 God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect.
12:1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.

While there are many names in the beginning of the chapter that we all know and remember, the second half of the chapter deals with the un-named Saints of the Faith. Both groups were set apart for us to be examples of what it means to walk the Walk of Faith. The problem and the great truth of this walk is that we may NEVER see the answer. Never! We might die not seeing the object of our Faith and dreams.



And that is OK with me.



While we have the Bible as our guide and the history of these great people of Faith, those men and women had only a promise that was given to them--by faith. And they never saw the results of their heart's desire. NEVER!


They died in the wilderness, they were killed with the sword, they were spared from being eaten by lions, yet they did not give up.

Makes me want to cry for them. Makes me rather angry at myself as well. Why is it so hard to get an answer? Why is the Walk so hard and filled with pain and disappointments?

In short, (it had been promised that way) "God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect." My holding on to the promises of God will help them--back there--and the ones yet to come--to experience the reality of our Faith, namely Christ Jesus.


E.M. Bounds wrote a while ago: "The possibilities of prayer are the possibilities of faith. Prayer and faith are Siamese twins. One heart animates them both. Faith is always praying. Prayer is always believing."

Let's press on and keep praying with faith in the One who is completely Faithful.