A Family Album
Adapted from Treasures of Faith
Sharon and Chuck Betters
Today’s Treasure
By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. By faith he went to live in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise. For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God.
Hebrews 11:8-10
Hebrews 11 is often called the Hall of Faith. As Chuck and I unpacked the lives of these great men and women we wondered if a better chapter title would be “The Waiting Room”. Especially profound for us is the description of Abraham who “was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God”.
Their stories help us remember we don’t belong here, we are on our way Home. We are encouraged in our own life journey, knowing Abraham and the others died in faith, “not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth.” (Hebrews 11:13)
We take comfort in knowing we may not experience all of God’s promises kept here, but we will when we arrive Home.
How did the people portrayed in Hebrews 11 demonstrate such a life transforming faith in God and what do they have to teach us?
Many of the portraits in this spiritual family album are a little tarnished, with histories that are often quite colorful and, in some cases even sordid. In looking at them, we sometimes felt uncomfortable and that we were looking into a mirror. The weakness, the sin, the selfishness we saw in them we also saw only too well in ourselves. Yet, despite their failings, God remained strong in upholding these flawed men and women, and this greatly encouraged us. Upon closer inspection, we also began to see the signs of God's faithfulness to His people, as marked by the seminal events in their lives, where God's great grace and strength somehow shone brightly through their weakness (Romans 8:28-29). God moved in and through these ordinary lives and through their stories we discover our God can transform any life into a life of faith - even mine, even yours.
On each page of this family album, you will also see the inexorable power and grace of God as He fulfills the promises of His eternal covenant of redemption. You will catch a glimpse of God's unfolding purposes for His church. God interacts with struggling believers to build into them the faith He wants them to have. In this way we are enabled to build His kingdom, to encourage others, and to pass on a legacy of faith to coming generations.
These heroes of faith rose to prominence at pivotal moments in the sovereign purposes of God, but not without great personal struggle and doubt. We examine their failures in order to reveal more fully the grace that moved them to victory. Some of our interpretations may stretch or surprise some readers (as they did the negative reviewer on Amazon). We urge you to dig deeper into the Scriptures to examine the pearls of grace in these remarkable lives - these people who are our own weak, flawed, and sinful brothers and sisters. They ultimately became victorious heroes of faith.
LIFE-GIVING ENCOURAGEMENT
Yesterday, we shared how our dear friend David had questioned whether God could be trusted through his pain. God’s answer as promised in the sure word of Scripture was emphatically yes. God can be trusted - a truth experienced as David journeyed toward his heavenly home, and a reality now fully confirmed in the glorious presence of his ascended Lord. You too will see, through the study of Hebrews 11, God is faithful and He can do amazing things with a yielded heart and life. What does it mean to trust God? Will you trust Him? Your life will reflect your answer to these questions. We trust that the message of Hebrews 11 will encourage you to share your faith with others and to run with perseverance the course He has marked out for you.
Faith does not become living faith until there is no longer a dry concept but a tool in your hands, one glistening with your own sweat, your own tears, and yes, even your own blood. The author of Hebrews reminds us again and again that by faith God can accomplish great purposes through men and women who suffer, who stumble, who fall, through men and women like us, through men and women like you. By faith such lives become precious gems set in the crown of His great and glorious covenant. Abraham learned this, and Joseph, and Moses, and Sarah, and Samson. As you go about your day, remember you, too, can live boldly in view of God’s promises. (Excerpted from Treasures of Faith, Living Boldly in View of God’s Promises, pages 3-5)
PRAYER
Father, thank you for the promises of the covenant. May they carry us through each minute of every day for You are our promise-keeping God.
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Sharon W. Betters is the author of Treasures of Encouragement, Treasures in Darkness, co-author of Treasures of Faith. and co-author with Susan Hunt of Aging with Grace, Flourishing in an Anti-Aging Culture. She is Director of Resource Development and co-founder of MARKINC.org, a non-profit organization that offers help and hope to hurting people. Sharon enjoys quality time with her husband, children, fourteen grandchildren, and one great-grandchild.
Contact Sharon with comments or questions at dailytreasure@markinc.org.