By faith

Israel marches around Jericho - Artist unknown

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Hebrews 11:17-31

TO CHEW ON: "By faith…"- Hebrews 11:17,20,21,22,23,24,27,28,29,39,31


I love how various aspects of faith are illustrated in today's segment of Hebrews 11—the Bible's famous Faith Chapter. Through these examples we discover that faith has many facets. Let's identify some of them.

Abraham's faith involved obedience and overcoming rationalism as he compared God's mysterious instructions to sacrifice Isaac with His prior promise to provide a nation through this son - Hebrews 11:17-20.

Isaac and Jacob's faith in blessing their sons, and Joseph's faith in the request that he be burred in the promised land consisted of hope for the future and prophetic foresight - Hebrews 11:20-22.

Moses' parents hiding their baby boy showed the risk that faith sometimes involves, as well as hope for the future of their "no ordinary child" - Hebrews 11:23.

Moses' faith, demonstrated when he broke with his Egyptian upbringing, was anchored in spiritual belief about who the real God was - Hebrews 11:24-27. His instituting of the Passover demonstrated that too, along with the faith of obedience - Hebrews 11:28.

The Israelites passing through the Red Sea showed trust in God's power to accomplish the supernatural - Hebrews 11:29.

The Israelites march around Jericho showed the obedience and overcoming rationalism facets of faith - Hebrews 11:30.

Rahab's faith was an example of spiritual belief and obedience - Hebrews 11:31.

We could go on to parse the faith examples that continue, but you get the idea. For me, this realization of the many aspects of faith is helpful in that it's true for us too. The faith that's required when we pray for the future of our children and grandchildren, for example, is somewhat different from the faith we need when we pray for healing, or change our daily routine to do God's assignments. God sees, recognizes and blesses all the various shades of faith we need to exercise in our life with Him. 

For what do you and I need faith today? Are we exercising that particular faith muscle?

PRAYER: Dear Father, please help me to live by faith in big and little things today. Amen.

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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.