Slideshow image

4 By faith Abel offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain’s. Through this he received approval as righteous, God himself giving approval to his gifts; he died, but through his faith he still speaks. 5 By faith Enoch was taken so that he did not experience death, and “he was not found, because God had taken him.” For it was attested before he was taken away that “he had pleased God.” 6 And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would approach God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. 7 By faith Noah, warned by God about events as yet unseen, respected the warning and built an ark to save his household; by this he condemned the world and became an heir to the righteousness that is in accordance with faith.

“Without faith it is impossible to please him.” You may be thinking, “Certainly I have faith in God!” But is it a faith, a belief, that you actually act upon, like Abel, Enoch, and Noah? “Whoever would approach God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him”. It is easy for us to say that we believe God exists; but do we put that into practice in our daily lives? Do we live as if God exists? Do we seek him out in prayer? Do we make effort to put his teachings into practice? Or do we live in a version of “practical atheism”, where we say that we believe in God, but it doesn’t materially affect anything we say or do?

“He rewards those who seek him.” What reward is that? Based on the examples in Hebrews 11, life doesn’t always turn out to be easy for those who lived by faith. Yet God rewards those who live by faith with his eternal love and welcome and approval.

One last thought as well: the original recipients of the epistle to the Hebrews seem to have been considering whether or not their faith in Jesus Christ was well-placed. But Jesus is the “pioneer and perfecter of faith” (12:2), and to follow his example is to live by faith and become like those listed in chapter 11. Even more so, it is to become like Christ himself.

 

Lord, please enlighten and walk with us, that we live knowing that you exist, and reward those who seek you, according to your wise and loving ways. May that faith impact what we say and do. Amen.

 

Damon Glassmoyer 

Prayer Concern: For peace in our divided land, and that we may be peacemakers at all levels of society.