READING:
One-year plan: Lamentations 3-5, Hebrews 11
Two-year plan: 2 Kings 25, John 13:21-35
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Living by faith is much more than simply believing that God is going to come through for us—almost as if we had enough faith, we would guarantee God’s response. Faith, at its core, is trusting God. In Hebrews 11, many believers found significant victory in God; in fact, they “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” (Heb 11:33-34). Some even saw resurrection in their midst (Heb 11:35). If that’s what faith does, it’s all glorious!
On the other hand, the writer of Hebrews tells us that some by faith, “experienced mockings and scourgings, as well as bonds and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawed in two, they died by the sword, they wandered about in sheepskins, in goatskins, destitute, afflicted, and mistreated” (Heb 11:36-37). Their situation was decidedly different from the previous group, but they, too, lived by faith—perhaps with a more stretching faith than others. They lived in faith, and they died in faith. The future they saw with eyes of faith gave them confidence to die in the present.
That’s the kind of faith that grabs the attention of a lost world.
PERSONAL REFLECTION: How would you describe your faith today?
DAILY PRAYER: “God, grant me faith to believe no matter what I face.”
TOMORROW’S READINGS:
One-year plan: Ezekiel 1-5, Hebrews 12:1-13
Two-year plan: 1 Chronicles 1, John 13:36-14:11
*first published in 2020
