READING: Lamentations 4-5, Hebrews 11
I heard the sermon decades ago, but I still remember the preacher’s words. He was preaching Hebrews 11, and he pointed out to us that the verbs in this famous “faith chapter” are most often action words. For example . . .
- “by faith, Abel offered . . .” (Heb 11:4)
- “Noah . . . built an ark” (11:7)
- “Abraham, when he was called, obeyed” (11:8)
- “Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac” (11:17)
- “Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau” (11:20)
I could, in fact, keep writing. Indeed, the summary statements of additional leaders of faith in Hebrews 11:33-34reverberate with action words: “who by faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, obtained promises, shut the mouths of lions, quenched the raging of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, gained strength in weakness, became mighty in battle, and put foreign armies to flight.” The point is simple: those who believed in faith gave evidence of that faith by their actions.
I thought much about those words when I first heard that sermon many years ago, primarily because I was a newer church leader trying to figure out what it meant to live by faith. Today, these words grab my attention again, but for a more focused reason – I am asking, “As I serve God every day, what choices and actions clearly show my faith in God?” I don’t want my Christian life to be routine, nor do I want to do only those things that, frankly, I can accomplish on my own. My words about faith won’t matter much if I don’t show that faith by my actions.
PRAYER: “Help me, Lord, to walk with You in faith today. Move me past the routine.”
TOMORROW’S READING: Ezekiel 1-4, Hebrews 12:1-13
