Faith On This Side – Hebrews 11:13-19

Commenting on Hebrews 11:16, Matthew Henry writes: “...God is not ashamed to be called their God: such is His condescension, such is His love to them; therefore let them never be ashamed of being called His people...”. One might add several other attitudes alongside 'ashamed', given the calling of faith and its great extremes expounded in scripture and experienced in every age. Perhaps we could additionally say: “...let them never be: afraid, discouraged, angry, disillusioned, distracted, dissuaded, depressed...”. While a Christian can expect to struggle with these frames of mind, let us beware not to be ultimately captive by them given the severe hardships and testing that will accompany the Christian confession. Paul often speaks of experiences he endured that others may well have cited as cause for abandoning the faith: (II Cor 11:23-30) imprisonments, countless beatings, near death moments, 5 times lashed 40 less 1, beatings with rods, stoning, shipwrecked, adrift at sea, dangerous journeys, dangerous rivers, sleepless nights, hunger, thirst, cold and exposure, anxiety for all the churches. Did these things ultimately leave him ashamed, discouraged, angry, disillusioned, distracted, dissuaded, or depressed? On the contrary he says: “If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness.” Paul was a man of faith illustrating Hebrews 11 in his life and ministry. What was he secret of his and the heroes of Hebrew's faith on this side of glory?