This morning I felt led to read from the Letter to the Hebrews. This is such a rich letter and one we should mine regularly. This morning my verse for reflection come from the 11th chapter, know by some as the faith hall of fame. I pulled out a few verses that stood out to me - Hebrews 11:1-3,6,13,24,26,39-40 NIV:
[1] “Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. [2] This is what the ancients were commended for. [3] By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible.
[6] And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.
[13] All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance, admitting that they were foreigners and strangers on earth.
[24] By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter.
[26] He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward.
[39] These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised, [40] since God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect.”
As I was reflecting on these verses, it occurred to me that there is a connection to the Fear of the Lord in extreme faith, or stepping into faith. Why else would someone step into the seemingly impossible (Abraham) or ridiculous (Noah) or dangerous (Moses)? They had this understanding that God was real, and capable of doing the impossible. He was greater than them, greater than anyone or anything they had ever encountered. They understood that the invitation into the impossible was through faith, believing what He had said!
They uncovered or saw the character of God revealed to them! They encountered Him in ways others had never experienced. They were the tip of the spear, if you will, in revealing God’s greatness, His power and His faithfulness.
None of them were responding to the fear of punishment, in fact, many listed in the verses not quoted above, were facing punishment for their faith. No, they were responding to the invitation to know God, to be loved by God, to love God above all else, to trust in His Word.
They believed He is greater than anything, anyone, or any circumstance. They devoted their lives to bear witness to God! They saw God as capable of doing exactly what He said He would, and faithful to do it. This was not a faith in Him founded on past experience, but rather faith for a new experience, yet to be revealed, yet to be fulfilled. They had faith in the promise and the promiser!
Lord, I pray that You would help us all to step into the invitation to encounter You in new ways, in new revelation, in new expressions of Your faithfulness. Help us to encounter You as You are, Holy, Glorious, Loving, Merciful, Compassionate, Faithful and Beautiful!
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