Far-sighted Faith
BRD REFLECTIONS:
Hebrews 11 and Psalm 147 (NIV)
(Grace Tham, BRD Core Team member)
READ:
Hebrews 11: 11, 13-16 [NIV]
And by faith even Sarah, who was past childbearing age, was enabled to bear children because she considered him faithful who had made the promise… All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance, admitting that they were foreigners and strangers on earth. People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. Instead, they were longing for a better country—a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.
Hebrews 11:35-36 [NIV]
…There were others who were tortured, refusing to be released so that they might gain an even better resurrection. Some faced jeers and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment.
OBSERVE:
This chapter reads like a ‘Who’s Who’ of spiritual giants including Noah, Abraham and Moses. They were commended for their faith that enabled them to do unthinkable acts such as putting a son on the altar to be sacrificed and giving up a life of security and pleasure to carry out God’s will. There are also unnamed heroes and heroines in this hall of fame, who suffered unimaginable cruelty and loss of life for the sake of the gospel. Though they did not fully comprehend God’s plan or receive what was promised, they held firmly to their faith that God would make everything beautiful in His time.
APPLY:
It’s humanly impossible to do what these ancients did without having a faith that is far-sighted. This entails trusting in God who is faithful to keep His promises (v11), understanding that our time on earth is only temporary (v13), and looking towards an eternal future with God (v16).
To grow such a faith, I must refrain from being overly comfortable with life on earth. I should avoid being too caught up in the daily grind and losing sight of the eternal perspective that I have a better place which God has already prepared in heaven. Having far-sighted faith like the unnamed heroes also means that I don’t need to have all the answers or receive an immediate reward for serving God; I only have to trust in His sovereign will and goodness.
DO:
- In good times, I will view my success and happiness as inferior compared to the surpassing joy of being in God’s eternal presence. In times of trial and pain, I want to have an unwavering hope in God’s purposes and that one day, He will make everything right.
- Even when I don’t see results or get rewarded in serving Him, I will press on until the day God’s plans are completed and I am made perfect together with those who have gone ahead of me.
PRAY:
Our faithful God, thank You for the example of far-sighted faith that the ancients have shown. Help me to have confidence in Your purposes for my life and the assurance that You are with me though I may not always understand Your plans. May I develop a far-sighted faith that pleases You. In Jesus’ name Amen.
