Scripture: Hebrews 11:1-4 (ESV)
“1 Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. 2 For by it the people of old received their commendation. 3 By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible.”
One of the things my wife and I prioritised from the very first days of our marriage is to sit around a dinner table to talk over dinner. As children came along this habit has served us well, since our kids have become avid conversationalists. Of course, their conversation mostly revolves around what kinds of TNT blocks they used in their latest Minecraft creation, or what powerup they used in Mario Kart. But from time, we do talk about something worthwhile, and a few weeks ago one of my boys insightfully asked “What happened to people who were died before Jesus died on the cross?”. His question is logical: How can Jesus’ sacrifice apply to Old Testament believers, when Jesus’ sacrifice had not yet happened? That is where the book of Hebrews now turns.
This chapter starts answering that question by defining what faith is exactly. The author of Hebrews tells us that “faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen”. Faith is about believing in the promises of God, even when we can’t see them with our eyes. Now whether you exist before Jesus or after Jesus, the essence of faith is still the same. It is trusting in God’s promises.
Notice what happens to those Old Testament believers who trusted in this way - they were commended for their faith, not because they saw all God’s promises fulfilled in their lifetimes, but because they trusted Him anyway.
This is a challenge for us isn’t it? Because realistically we often struggle to believe in a thing we can’t see. We live in a scientific, rationalistic society. We want tangible evidence. We really do hold on to the idea that “seeing is believing”. And yet faith is an otherworldly thing. Faith is trusting in God’s promises even when you can’t see the immediate results.
Now if this faith is so otherworldly, so foreign, where can we get it? The truth of scripture is that none of us can manufacture this faith. No, it is a gift that God himself gives us. That is why Paul reminds us in Ephesians 2:8-9: “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.”
And what do we do with gifts? We thank the giver.
Prayer:
Dear Father, thank you for the gift of faith. Thank you that you gave us this gift freely, not because we deserved it, but because you are a gracious and generous God. Help us to live according to our gratitude. In Jesus name. Amen.
Spiritual Challenge:
Today, think about an area of life where you have been lacking faith. What step can you take to trust God in this are of life more?
What is Faith?