Prepare – Hebrews 11:1-6
Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. This is what the ancients were commended for. 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. By faith Abel brought God a better offering than Cain did. By faith he was commended as righteous, when God spoke well of his offerings. And by faith Abel still speaks, even though he is dead. By faith Enoch was taken from this life, so that he did not experience death: “He could not be found, because God had taken him away.” For before he was taken, he was commended as one who pleased God. 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.
Devotional
One of the best vacation places in the United States has to be Disney World. It is electrifying and provides you with a full day worth of on the edge entertainment. From the shows, smells of cotton candy, and even waiting in the long lines – the place is incredible! There are so many great rides and shows. Have you ever been there? Which ride did you like the most?
Eventually, I came to Space Mountain, a roller coaster that runs inside of a man-made mountain. The line was long, but in the end, it was worth it. When I was on the ride, all I could wonder was – “what is coming at me next?” The inside of Space Mountain is pitch-black, so dark that you literally could not see your hand if you held it in front of your face. It sounds incredible, doesn’t it? While I was on the ride, I didn’t know if a hill was coming or a turn to the right or left, and that’s unsettling. Although my eyes were open as far as I could have them, I couldn’t see anything!
Hebrews 11 is what I like to call the “wall of faith,” similar to a gallery of photos. Faith means living today, not knowing tomorrow, but trusting that God will show you whatever you need to know when you need to know it. Faith is knowing He can see what we cannot see. Faith is knowing “nothing is impossible for God”. When it comes to faith, God invites us to be bold. The idea of being bold means to go beyond the usual limits of conventional thought or action. To be bold is to be confident! He welcomes our boldness! In fact, the Bible tells us to be bold and confident – Hebrews 4:16, says, “Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.”
What are you hoping for in Christ? How hard is it for you to trust in God when you cannot see tomorrow?
~ Pastor Andy
Praise
Worship by watching and singing along to “Oceans” by Hillsong and “Give Me Faith” by Elevation Worship.
