All these people died still believing what God had promised them. They did not receive what was promised, but they saw it all from a distance and welcomed it. They agreed that they were foreigners and nomads here on earth. Obviously people who say such things are looking forward to a country they can call their own. If they had longed for the country they came from, they could have gone back. But they were looking for a better place, a heavenly homeland. That is why God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them. Hebrews 11:13-16 NLT
The Hebrews Hall of Fame lists nearly twenty people by name and scores more in groups such as “the people of Israel,” “the prophets,” and unnamed people who were strong in battle, put armies to flight, faced persecution, and were even tortured. All of them are commended for their faith in spite of what they couldn’t see and regardless of what the outcomes seemed to be. This is a lineup of these men and women in their finest hours. They were ordinary people, but their stories of faith and faithfulness recorded in just a few words or sentences makes them seem larger than life, somehow possessing a measure of faith I could never have.
If we go back to the people specifically named and read their stories, they may be contained in only a paragraph. A few, like Abraham, have stories that cover multiple pages. Many have few details added. But we know this – they all had struggles just as we do. Faith was not easy or simple for them either. They had weaknesses and failures, some of them waited decades for God’s promises to be fulfilled. None of them had a perfect walk, yet in spite of their occasional stumbles, these people were truly seen by God and He counted them as faithful.
God, the ultimate storyteller and historian, chose to leave their failures and struggles out of this hall of fame. He didn’t say, “They blew it here and failed there.” He only revealed their victories. They were ordinary people doing extraordinary things because they had faith in an extraordinary God. Hebrews 11 tells us characteristics they shared that we would have as we commit to faith: They had great reverence for God that trumped their fears. They were focused on the eternal, not the temporary. These people of faith were friends of God, not attached to the world. They were so committed to God that the world wasn’t worthy of them. They didn’t have faith in outcomes. They had faith in a trustworthy God. All these heroes knew what it was to be frustrated, disappointed, and to fail … yet they kept their faith in the unseen but faithful God.
- My faithful Father, keep my eyes focused on You and my faith foundation strong. When You look at me, may my faith be something You can also commend. Please help me live such true faith that my family and those who watch me will have a clear witness to Your great faithfulness.