Hebrews 11:6

"But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him." (Heb 11:6)


Even thought I have chosen a verse, I think the whole chapter serves as one good verse for us to draw much from. This chapter summarized the faith of our ancestors to remind us of their greatness in the eyes of God. Now, just how did those lauded by God show their faith for God?

All the actions they carried out as a result of faith can be categorized into three major areas even though they all relate back to the fundamentals of faith stated in verse one.

1) He is God worthy of our sacrifice
-Abel: offered a more excellent sacrifice (4)
-Abraham: sacrificing Isaac (17)
-Moses: forsook Egypt (27)
2) Believed in the impossible/ridiculous
-Noah: believed in the total destruction of the earth (7)
-Sarah: believed in the ability to conceive past the age (11)
-Moses/Israelites: believed the opening of the Red Sea (29)
-Jericho wall: believed in the power of encircling (30)
3) Trusted in God's deliverance/protection
-Enoch: lifted up to heaven w/o experiencing death (5)
-Abraham: left his home town and sojourned in a foreign land (8,9)
-Isaac: blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come (20)
-Jacob: blessed the sons of Joseph leaning on his staff (21)
-Moses' parents: did not fear the king's command and hid Moses for 3 months (23)
-Moses: kept the Passover (28)
-Rahab: did not perish with the unbelievers (31)
-Joseph: made mention of the departure of the children of Israel at his death bed (22)

After careful examination of the coarse dissection of the chapter, we can see that all three categories actually lead to one, which is...Believing and Trusting in the Power of God. But in order for us to put it into perspective, it's helpful to divide the different aspects in trusting in the power of God.

We are only willing to sacrifice something if we believe something better can be gained. A very tangible example would be a decision to keep the Sabbath or attend a picnic your boss has invited you to. Our decision depends on what we think the greatest gain would be at that moment. Some may believe that it's a rare opportunity to please the boss and maybe gain benefits from it in the future. Others may remember that without God, we wouldn't even have a job today. Moses has esteemed 'the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt; for he looked to the reward.' Therefore, it is important for us to keep our lives in perspective. Not only do we need to consider the present, but most importantly, we should look forward into the future. That is, the future after our lives on earth comes to an end.

It indeed sounds like a ridiculous request when God asked Noah to build the ark and lock himself inside because water is going to fill the gigantic earth. If we shared that request with someone today, that person would definitely laugh and regard us a wack. But that did not stop Noah from fulfilling God's request, because he had faith in God. Who would ever believe that just by walking around a wall, the wall will eventually collapse? It's simply a joke. But that's what exactly happened to the walls of Jericho. It was only through their faith in the power of God that they suceeded. Even though the ways of God seemed ridiculous at the moment, they endured the peer pressure around them. Noah didn't give up because no one on the whole planet believed him. He only looked to God, and he was rewarded. Again, we must look farther than what's directly in front of us. We must look beyond this world to not be influenced. We must look to God, because we know He is the 'King of Kings and Lord of Lords.'

Many times in life we get discouraged because we forget that God is there to deliver. The time when we are unsure is the time when God works wonders. Abraham trusted in God's protection and purpose when he was asked to sojourn in a foreign land. Who would ever leave a secure job and comfortable home to go somewhere of uncertainty? Abraham knew that God will take care of him. The down times in our life when we are confused and lost are those times for Abraham when he left his comfort zone. However, he did not defy God just so he can live a life of certainty and control. He allowed God to be his boss. He allowed God to lead his way. He trusted that God has a reason for the plan. Many times, it is during those down times that our faith is most strong. It is during those times that we realize what we are missing. It is when we lose our own control in life that we remember the controller of all. It's during those times that we come back to draw nearer to God. Therefore, if u look at it that way, the down times are actually a blessing to our spiritual life. A reminder for us to readjust our life. May we strive to remember the power of God in all that we do and trust in His plans for us. For 'He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.'