Thought for June 4th. “BY FAITH …”

Today we read the well known 11th chapter of Hebrews, it starts, “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.”  This is the vital lesson we must take to heart in reading this chapter – that having faith is having a state of mind that must cause us to lead different lives, different priorities – to have different aims. We live our lives in service to our Saviour – accomplishing things in his service.  Read the chapter, noticing how often the words “By faith” occur.  “By faith Noah …by faith Abraham …  by faith Sarah …”Our faith is not just something we talk about – or listen to others talking about.  We read today of many examples of men and women of faith, highlighting in many cases some particular deed that proved the nature of their faith.  It is most valuable to look on into the first 2 verses of tomorrow’s chapter., it starts “Therefore” – therefore we should put the chapter break after verse 2.  “Therefore since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses (all those examples of men and women of faith in ch. 11), let us also lay aside every weight and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith …”  We must each search our hearts as to how effectively we are living our lives so that he sees that our faith has developed real strength, that we have acquired a real sense of teamwork with our Saviour and our God. That our lives demonstrate that we are “working together with him” [2 Cor. 6 v.1] May we all be able to look back on our lives, on our journey in developing greater and greater faith to see how we have been “made strong out of weakness” [v.34] because we have developed a real “conviction of things not seen” and “we are not of those who shrink back … but of those who have faith and preserve their souls.” [10 v.39]