Faith's Hall of Fame

I was amazed to read Hebrews chapter 11 the other day. As you may know, I'm married to my best friend and I wouldn't ask for anyone else. But married life can be a battle... and I am not even talking about the actual people involved. Does bills, bills, bills, and more bills ring a bell for anyone? ;) It's hard not to covet sometimes when others have nice things in their married life. But, alas, they are just temporal things. We have been provided for, nonetheless, and I am grateful. Together we are growing in this attitude called "contentment." It takes faith to trust that God will carry us through this union and have peace every step of the way. This chapter lists several "Heroes of Faith" who have more than accomplished great trust in the Lord. And several of these heroes knew that they would never even see God's great rewards on Earth (Christ's coming) and yet, they kept the faith. "And all these, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise: God having provided some better thing for us..." [Hebrews 11:39,40] So maybe these heroes did not have the biggest house, car, or family (temporal values) but they DID have faith (eternal value) that was greatly rewarded the moment they entered Heaven. A friend mentioned a valuable point: whose name would be written in this chapter today? Could yours even be in the running?

Faith is an amazing characteristic of the Christian. It is so complex, yet so simple; so hard, yet so easy. The only thing preventing us from this faith we desire is "us". Picture a house with two rooms. You are in one room and there is a reward in the other room; that reward is a glittering abundance of peace. Do we cry out in joy that it's only a few steps away? No. We find complaints in having to walk over, instead of it coming to us. Let's say there is a wall dividing the two rooms. That wall is blocking our view of the reward, although we are still fully aware that it's right there. We can see the bright reflections on the wall sparkling away, but we stay-put complaining about the effort it will take to make the trip. And in that case, the reward will always be just a room away.

Faith does not automatically saturate our minds. We first need to leap for it. Many take that jump, and just moments later stop, falling into the cracks below. This reminds me of how Peter was amazed to walk on water (although he had asked for this to happen), just to look down, let the flesh sink in, and he followed suit seconds later. With a big gulp, others make their greatest long jump and hang in there until landing on their strong foundation.

While sailing, you are to look at a specific point across the lake, to assure you are going straight. Same with faith. Keeping our eyes focused on God will keep us on the straight and narrow. When we do leap and land, perhaps the next time we are more willing to take a running start, trusting even more that God will carry us and catch us. The cracks we are required to leap over may turn to canyons, and seem impossible to cross. Well they are, that is, without the actual Cross carrying us along.

"And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water. And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus. But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me. And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt? And when they were come into the ship, the wind ceased." [Mat.14:28-33]